MC-NRLF 


SD3 


PRIMARY 

HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES: 

MADE  EASY  AND  INTERESTING  FOR  BEGINNERS. 


BY 

G.   P.   QUACKEKBOS,   A.M., 

PRINCIPAL   OF   "THE   COLLEGIATE  SCHOOL,"  N.  Y.  ;   ATTTHOP.  OP  "ILLUSTRATED   SCHOOL   HISTORY  OF 

THE  TJ.  6.,M  "A  NATURAL  PHILOSOPHY,"  "FIRST  LESSONS  IN  COMPOSITION,"  "ADVANCED 

COURSE  OF  COMPOSITION  AND  F.UETOEIC,"  ETC. 


NEW  YOEK: 
D.   APPLETON   &   COMPANY,   443   &   445   BROADWAY. 

1867. 


0 


PEEFACE. 

FIRST  books,  on  any  subject,  should  be  simple  and  attractive.  The  beginner  should 
never  be  discouraged  by  words  that  he  does  not  understand,  or  sentences  of  great  length 
and  complicated  structure.  He  should  find  his  text-book  interesting,  and  be  won  to 
study  by  the  pleasant  trains  of  thought  it  suggests  and  charms  of  style  and  story.  He 
will  otherwise  be  apt  to  conceive  a  dislike  to  the  subject  treated,  and  may  feel  the  ill 
effects  of  a  bad  beginning  throughout  his  whole  subsequent  course  of  study. 

These  principles  have  been  kept  in  view  during  the  preparation  of  the  present  volume. 
The  author  has  here  endeavored  to  present  the  history  of  our  country  so  clearly  that 
it  may  be  studied  with  profit  at  a  very  early  age.  In  the  belief  that  simplicity  is  quite 
different  from  puerility,  a  clear  style,  a  natural  arrangement,  and  short  sentences  have 
been  aimed  at,  rather  than  childish  expressions.  Leading  events  are  presented,  but 
without  any  repulsive  array  of  minute  details,  dates,  or  figures. 

We  all  know  the  fondness  of  the  young  for  stories ;  truthful  anecdotes  have  there 
fore  been  interspersed  throughout.  To  please  the  eye,  as  well  as  awaken  thought, 
numerous  engravings,  designed  with  strict  regard  to  historic  truth,  have  been  intro 
duced.  The  form  of  a  continuous  narrative  has  been  adopted  as  preferable  for  reading 
purposes,  but  questions  bringing  out  the  leading  facts  are  presented  at  the  end  of  each 
lesson,  which  may  be  used  by  the  learner  in  preparing  himself  and  by  the  teacher  at 
recitation. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  book  will  be  found  comprehensive  and  thorough,  as  well  as  easy 
and  interesting.  The  wants  of  Primary  Schools  have  been  particularly  consulted  in  its 
preparation.  Used  independently,  it  is  believed  that  it  will  give  a  fair  and  correct  idea 
of  our  country's  history ;  when  a  more  extended  course  is  desired,  it  may  with  advantage 
be  followed  by  the  author's  "  Illustrated  School  History  of  the  United  States". 
NEW  YORK,  August  1,  18GO 


ENTERED,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1SCO, 

BY  G.  P.  QUACKENBOS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District  or 

New  York. 


El~7 


> 

CONTENTS. 


££>-P 


LESSOIf  PAGE 

I.  Four  Hundred  Years  ago,       *               v>  yO          .&           /'."}       5 

II.  Christopher  Columbus,     .              -^  i0            '($'             ."|                7 

III.  The  Discovery  of  America,    ^\         /".)  /"^            /C,'           <"CX.       11 

IV.  Later  Voyages  of  Columbus. — Cabot,  (^           :/I"V           -Tf             14 
V.Balboa. — Magellan. — Cortez,  .                £J'  f  -'^  '             .J               .%       17 

VI.  French  Discoveries.— De  Soto,      ;C)  £J?:           fd              ,*<              20 

VII.  The  American  Indians,           f>            $  f9            <$           &      24 

VIII.  The  First  Settlements,     .              Q  '  f.J          .  Y< -:          ^'             28 
IX.  Captain  John  Smith,                ^               if  /^f             -^            ^       31 

X.  The  Virginia  Colony,        ;'              .;}  .>             .^j  j-           V  ^            35 

XI.  Dutch  Settlements.— Henry  Hudson,    ,X)  /J              0    '          ^/'      38 

XII.  The  Pilgrim  Fathers,       .-'.-)                .  .^             *t\ »             .                 41 

XIII.  The  Plymouth  Colony,            ft.             &  tt          -^               .         44 

XIV.  Other  New  England  Colonies,        /^  <|            ^?              -                47 
XV.  Connecticut.— The  Pequod  War,  Q             ^              .        50 

XVI.  Maryland. — Delaware.— New  Jersey,  /f»            £)               .                 53 

XVII.  King  Philip's  Warv'^               |Q               $  {Q              !g> '             .         56 

XVIII.  Virginia. — Indian  Troubles.— Bacon's  Rebellion,         •  fij  .                 60 

XIX.  Carolina. — Pennsylvania,       p               A  £)         -^   ;            .         63 

XX.  Indian  Missions. — French  Explorers,  f~^              -£J               .                 67 

XXI.  King  William's  War,              *ff        'Q  0               '               &      7° 

XXII.  Queen  Anne's  War. — The  South-west. — Georgia  founded,  ..              72 

XXIII.  Washington's  Expedition,        .                 .  ..  ^        .    .                 .         75 

XXIV.  French  and  Indian  War.— Braddock's  Defeat,  .                 .                 78 
XXV.  Close  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,     .  .                'f               .         81 

XXVI.  Troubles  with  the  Governors,           .  ,.                 ..-.'              .                 85 

XXVII.  Causes  of  the  Revolution,       .              -..  .:    ;            .  >i:.            .         87 

XXVIII.  Commencement  of  the  Revolution,  .                .           *''   .                91 


CONTENTS. 


LESSON  PAGE 

XXIX.  Capture  of  Ticondcroga. — Ethan  Allen,                .  .    •  .                 ,95 

XXX.  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,      .....  98 

XXXI.  Invasion  of  Canada. — Siege  of  Boston,                   .  .                 „       loi 

XXXII.  Attack  on  Charleston. — Declaration  of  Independence,  .               104 

XXXIII.  Battle  of  Long  Island,              .                 .                 .  .                 .108 

XXXIV.  Washington's  Retreat. — Trenton. — Princeton,  .                .              in 
XXXV.  Burgoyne's  Campaign,              .                 .                 .  .                 .115 

XXXVI.  Brandy  wine. — Germantown. — Valley  Forge,  .                 .               119 

XXXVII.  Monmouth. — Wyoming. — Movements  in  the  South,  .                 .122 

XXXVIII.  Paul  Jones. — Francis  Marion,          .                 .  .                 .               125 

XXXIX.  Hanging  Rock. — Camden. — Arnold's  Treason,       .  .                 .    '  129 

XL.  King's  Mountain.— Cowpens. — Guilford  Court  House,  .                 .'               133 

XLI.  Eutaw. — Yorktown. — Close  of  the  Revolution,       .  .                 .136 

XLII.  Formation  of  a  Constitution,            .  .               149 

XLIII.  Washington's  Two  Terms,       .                 .                 .  .                 .143 

XLIV.  John  Adams. — Thomas  Jefferson,    .                 .  .                                147 

XLV.  Jefferson's  Second  Term. — James  Madison,            .  .                 .151 

XLVI.  Battle  of  Tippecanoe. — War  with  England,    .  154 

XLVII.  Reverses  on  Land :  Triumphs  on  the  Ocean,          .  .                 .157 

XL VIII.  The  War  in  the  North-west,            ....  IGQ 

XLIX.  Pike's  Expedition. — Fort  Stephenson. — Lake  Erie;  .                 .163 

L.  Harrison's  Invasion  of  Canada. — Creek  War,  .                .               166 

LI.  Close  of  the  War  of  1812,        .                 .                 .  .                 .171 

LIT.  James  Monroe. — John  Quincy  Adams,            .  .                 .               175 

LIII.  Andrew  Jackson,     .....  178 

LIV.  Martin  Van  Buren. — Harrison  and  Tyler,        .  .                 .               181 

LV.  James  K.  Polk. — Mexican  War,              .                 .  .                 .183 

LVI.  Taylor  and  Fillmore,        .                 .                 .  .                 .187 

LVII.  Franklin  Pierce. — James  Buchanan,      .               .  „                       189 


PRIMARY  HISTORY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


The  Western  Continent. 


The  Eastern  Continent. 


LESSOR  I. 


FOUR   IIUNDEED   TEAES   AGO. 

1.  The  Eartli  is  round,  like  a  ball.     It  contains  two  large  divi 
sions  of  land,  called  Continents.     One  lies  in  the  east,  and  is  called 
the  Eastern  Continent.     The  other  lies  in  the  west,  and  is  called 
the  Western  Continent.     These  two  continents  are  separated  on  one 
side  by  the  broad  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  on  the  other  by  the  Pacific, 
which  is  still  broader.    The  map  given  above  shows  these  conti 
nents  and  oceans. 

2.  The  United  States,  in  which  we  live,  is  part  of  Xortli  Amer 
ica,  and  lies  in  the  Western  Continent.     Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa, 
form  the  Eastern  Continent.     Those  who  want  to  go  from  one  con- 


FOUR  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO. 


tinent  to  the  other,  have  to  sail  many  miles,  across  either  the  At 
lantic  or  the  Pacific. 

3.  Now,  .our  gallant  sailors  think  nothing  of  making  such  a  voy- 
age.    But  there  was  a  time  when  even  the  bravest  were  afraid  to 
venture  far  out  upon  the  Ocean.     Their  vessels  were  not  so  large 
or  so  well  shaped  as  ours ;  and  they  feared,  if  they  went  too  far 
away  from  land,  they  would  never  find  the  way  back. 

4.  Four  hundred  years  ago,  men  did  not  know  so  much  about 
the  Earth  as  they  do  now.     They  thought  that  it  was  flat,  instead 
of  round.    They  knew  nothing  of  the  Western  Continent.    They 
were  afraid  of  the  broad  ocean.     They  supposed  that  those  who 
kept  sailing  west  would  either  reach  the  end  of  the  Earth  and  fall 
off,  or  meet  with  dreadful  gales  and  whirlpools.    Some  thought  that 
the  unknown  waters  to  the  west  were  filled  with  frightful  monsters, 
and  that  it  was  wicked  to  try  to  sail  there.     So  they  left  the  Atlan 
tic  mostly  unexplored.     The  farthest  land  that  was  known  towards 
the  west  was  the  islands  called  the  A-zoresx,  about  800  miles  west 
of  Portugal. 

5.  Four  hundred  years  ago,  the  land  we  inhabit  looked  very 
different  from  what  it  now  does.     There  were  no  great  cities  in  it 
then  ;  no  large  farms,  with  fields  of  waving  grain  ;  no  comfortable 
houses,  with  smoke  curling  up  from  their  chimney-tops  ;  no  horses 
or  cattle  in  the  meadows ;  no  fences,  no   bridges,  no   roads ;  no 
steamboats  or  sailing-vessels  on  the  rivers  ;  no  white  men,  to  give 
life  to  the  whole. 

6.  In  place  of  these,  there  were  giant  trees,  thick  woods,  and 
rolling  prairies.     Deer,  bears,  and  wolves  abounded.     There  were 
fair  streams,  but  no  signs  of  life  on  them  except  the  busy  beaver. 
Here  and  there  was  a  rude  hut,  covered  with  bark  or  skins ;  and 
dark,  half-naked  figures  stole  through  the  tangled  brush-wood. 


FOUR  HUNDRED   YEARS  AGO. 


7.  And  what  lias  so  changed  the  appearance  of  the  country  ? — 
Its  discovery  by  Europeans.     They  found  it  a  fruitful  and  pleasant 
land.     They  came  over  to  it  in  great  numbers.     They  cut  down 
the  woods,  laid  out  farms,  tilled  the  soil,  and  built  villages  and 
cities.     They  made  the  wilderness  blossom  like  the  rose. 

8.  But  the  Western  Continent  might  have  remained  unknown 
to  Europeans  till  this  day,  had  it  not  been  for  the  genius  of  one 
man.     That  great  man,  the  discoverer  of  America,  was  Christopher 
Columbus. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  is  the  shape  of  the  Earth  ?  What  does  it  contain  ?  What  are 
the  two  continents  called  ?  How  are  they  separated  ?  Point  to  them  on  the  Map. — 
2.  Where  does  the  United  States  lie  ?  What  countries  form  the  Eastern  Continent  ? 
How  can  a  person  go  from  one  continent  to  the  other? — 3.  In  old  times,  what  did 
people  think  of  a  voyage- across  the  ocean? — 4.  What  did  people  think  about  the  shape 
of  the  Earth,  four  hundred  years  ago?  What  did  they  think  would  happen  to  those 
who  kept  sailing  west  ?  What  was  the  farthest  land  known  towards  the  west  ? — 5.  What 
are  found  in  this  country  now,  that  were  not  here  four  hundred  years  ago? — 6.  Describe 
this  country,  as  it  then  looked. — 7.  What  has  so  changed  the  appearance  of  our  country  ? 
What  have  European  settlers  done  ? — 8.  To  whom  is  the  world  indebted  for  the  discovery 
of  America  ? 


. 

LESSOR  II. 

CHRISTOPHER   COLUMBUS. 

1.  Columbus  was  born  at  Gen'-o-a,  in  Italy,  a  country  of  Eu 
rope.     His  parents  were  poor,  but  had  him  well  taught.     At  an 
early  age  he  went  to  sea,  and  visited  various  countries.     On  one 
occasion,  the  ship  on  which  he  served  took  fire,  and  he  had  to 
throw  himself  into  the  sea  and  swim  for  his  life. 

2.  After  making  many  voyages,  Columbus  became  convinced 
that  the  Earth  was  round,  and  that  by  sailing  west  he  would  finally 


8  CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS.  [HT4 

reach  land.  If  you  mark  an  orange,  and  place  your  finger  on  the 
opposite  side  of  it,  you  will  reach  the  mark  whichever  way  you 
carry  your  finger  round.  So  Columbus  thought  that  by  sailing 
west  he  would  arrive  at  Asia,  just  as  certainly  as  he  would  by 
going  east.  He  knew  nothing  of  the  Western  Continent ;  but  he 
supposed  that  Asia  extended  much  farther  east  than  it  does,  and 
he  determined  to  try  to  reach  it  by  launching  out  on  the  unex 
plored  ocean. 

3.  The  Azores,  as  we  have  said,  were  the  most  westerly  land 
known  at  that  day.     Now,  after  a. .violent  west  wind,  trees  torn  up 
by  the  roots  were  sometimes  washed  on  these  islands.     The  bodies 
of  two  men,  very  different  in  appearance  from  the  people  of  Europe 
and  Africa,  had  also  been  thrown  there.     These  facts  confirmed 
Columbus  in  his  belief,  and  made  him  still  more  anxious  to  set  out 
on  a  voyage  of  discovery. 

4.  But  where  was  he  to  get  the  means  ?     He  was  ;poor,  and  had 
no  ships  of  his  own.     He  could  only  lay  his  plans  before  the  differ 
ent  powers  of  Europe,  and  beg  their  aid.     First  he  tried  his  coun 
trymen,  the  Genoese,  but  without  success.     Then  he  went  to  Por 
tugal.     The  King  of  this  country  listened  to  his  arguments ;  but, 
wishing  to  have  the  honor  of  the  discovery  all  to  himself,  he  basely 
deceived  Columbus,  and  sent  out  a  vessel  on  the  proposed  course 
under  another  commander.     The  expedition,  however,  failed,  as  it 
deserved  to  do. 

5.  Columbus  next  turned  to  Spain,  which  was  then  ruled  by 
the  famous  Ferdinand  and  his  wife  Isabella.     He  had  by  this  time 
become  so  poor  that  on  his  way  to  the  court  he  had  to  beg  for  bread 
for  himself  and  his  little  son.     On  his  arrival,  he  found  the  King 
and  Queen  engaged  in  a  great  war  with  the  Moors.     They  had  no 
time  to  listen  to  a  poor  sailor  whom  every  one  laughed  at.     Still 


I486] 


COLUMBUS  BEFORE  THE   COUNCIL. 


Columbus  would  not  give  up.  Full  of  his  great  idea,  lie  waited  for 
a  more  favorable  time,  supporting  himself  by  making  maps  and 
charts. 

6.  At  last  he  obtained  the  ear  of  Ferdinand,  and  pleaded  his 
cause  so  earnestly  that  he  almost  convinced  the  King.  But  the 
long  war  had  exhausted  the  royal  treasury,  and  money  was x  too 
scarce  to  be  risked  on  an  uncertainty.  So  Ferdinand  resolved  to 
take  the  advice  of  the  wise  men  of  his  kingdom.  Columbus  ap 
peared  before  them  at  Salamanca,  to  unfold  his  cherished  plan. 
Here  you  see  him  arguing  before  the  council. 


Y.  But  the  wise  men  of  Spain  could  not  believe  that  a  poor 


10  CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS.  [1191 

sailor  knew  more  than  they  did.  How,  they  asked,  could  the  Earth 
be  round  ?  If  it  were,  then  on  the  opposite  side  the  rain  would  fall 
upward  ;  trees  would  grow  with  their  branches  down  ;  and  every 
thing  would  be  topsy-turvy.  Objects  on  its  surface  would  certainly 
fall  off  the  opposite  side  ;  and,  if  a  ship  by  sailing  west  got  around 
there,  it  would  never  be  able  to  climb  up  the  side  of  the  Earth  and 
get  back  again.  How  could  a  ship  sail  up  hill  ? 

8.  Such  was  the  reasoning  of  the  wise  men.     By  their  advice, 
the  King  refused  to  furnish  Columbus  the  ships  he  wanted.     Who 
can   describe  his  disappointment,  after  waiting   so   many  years? 
There  was  yet  one  chance.     Perhaps  Queen  Isabella  would  listen 
to  him  with  more  favor.     He   obtained   an   interview  with  her. 
Alas  !  she  too  was  persuaded  to  refuse  him. 

9.  Almost  in  despair,  Columbus  was  on  the  point  of  quitting 
Spain  forever,  when  a  message  from  Isabella  recalled  him  to  court, 
with  the  glad  tidings  that  the  Queen  had  changed  her  mind.     She 
had  determined  to  fit  out  three  vessels  for  the  enterprise,  even  if  she 
had  to  pledge  her  jewels  to  raise  the  necessary  money. 

QUESTIONS. — I.  "Where  was  Columbus  born  ?  What  is  said  of  his  parents  ?  What 
did  he  do  at  an  early  age  ?  What  accident  befell  him  ? — 2.  After  making  many  voyages, 
of  what  did  Columbus  become  convinced  ?  What  did  he  suppose  with  respect  to  Asia  ? 
— 3.  What  confirmed  Columbus  in  his  belief  that  the  Earth  was  round?  What  was  he 
anxious  to  do? — 4.  Why  did  not  Columbus  set  out  at  once  on  his  voyage?  To  whom 
did  he  first  apply  for  ships  ?  Where  did  he  then  go  ?  What  did  the  King  of  Portugal 
do  ? — 5.  Where  did  Columbus  next  go  ?  By  whom  was  Spain  then  ruled  ?  What  was 
the  condition  of  Columbus  at  this  time  ?  In  what  did  he  find  the  King  and  Queen  en 
gaged  ?  What  was  the  consequence  ? — 6.  At  last,  with  whom  did  he  obtain  an  interview  ? 
What  was  the  result? — 7.  What  was  the  opinion  of  the  wise  men  of  Spain?  Mention 
some  of  their  arguments. — 8.  What  conclusion  did  the  King  come  to  ?  What  chance  yet 
remained?  What  answer  did  Queen  Isabella  first  make? — 9.  What  happened  just  as 
Columbus  was  about  leaving  Spain  ?  How  many  vessels  did  the  Queen  promise  him  ? 


U92] 


DEPARTUKE   OF  COLUMBUS. 


11  . 


< 


LESSOR  III. 

THE  DISCOVEKY  OP  AMEEICA. 

1.  Here  is  a  picture  of  a  ship  in  the  time  of  Columbus.    It  looks 
quite  different  from  a  ship  of  the 

present  day.  The  hull  is  much 
higher  out  of  the  water  than  that 
of  modern  ships,  and  not  so  sharp 
in  front.  The  rigging,  too,  is 
different.  You  see  a  little  round 
box  near  the  top  of  the  central 
mast.  Here  a  sailor  was  sta 
tioned  to  keep  a  look-out ;  and 
in  battle  men  were  placed  there 
to  shoot  those  who  appeared  on 
the  enemy's  deck. 

2.  With  three  such  ships,  two 
of  which  had  no  decks,  Colum 
bus  set  out  on  his  voyage  of  dis 
covery.      So   dangerous  was   it 
considered,  that  he  could  hardly 
get  sailors  enough  to  man  his 
vessels.      At    last    ninety    men 
were  obtained,  and  with  these  he 
sailed  from  Palos  [pah'-los],  a 

Spanish  port,  on  the  3d  of  August,  1492.     Columbus  was  now  fifty- 
seven  years  old. 

3.  After  stopping  at  the  Canary  Islands,  to  repair  one  of  their 
vessels,  Columbus  and  his  men  stood  out  boldly  to  the  west  on  the 


12  DISCOVERY  OF  AMERICA.  [1192 

great  ocean.  Day  after  day  they  kept  on  their  course,  with  nothing 
in  sight  but  the  sky  and  the  sea.  The  sailors  looked  ont  anxiously 
for  land ;  but,  as  none  appeared,  they  became  terribly  frightened, 
and  wanted  to  turn  back.  This  Columbus  would  not  do.  He  set 
before  them  the  glory  they  would  gain  if  they  succeeded,  and 
the  anger  of  Queen  Isabella  if  they  should  return  contrary  to  his 
wishes.  But,  as  time  wore  on,  they  became  more  and  more  alarm 
ed.  They  feared  they  would  never  find  the  way  home.  They  even 
talked  of  throwing  Columbus  overboard,  and  taking  the  ship  back 
to  Spain  themselves. 

4.  At  last  Columbus  had  to  promise  that  if  land  was  not  dis 
covered  within  three  days  he  would  return.     How  anxiously  he 
watched  during  that  time,  and  how  high  his  heart  beat  with  hope 
when  signs  of  land  actually  appeared  !     The  water  grew  shallower. 
Flocks  of  little  birds  came  round  the  vessels.     A  branch  bearing 
fresh  berries  was  found  floating  on  the  sea.     A  close  watch  was 
kept.     Two  hours  after  midnight,  on  the  12th  of  October,  a  joyful 
cry  of  Land  !  Land  !  was  heard  from  one  of  the  vessels.     It  was 
echoed  on  the  others.     The  sailors  were  now  frantic  with  delight. 
They  were  ready  to  worship  Columbus,  whom  a  little  while  before 
they  had  talked  of  throwing  into  the  sea. 

5.  When  day  dawned,  the  land  was  plainly  seen.     A  pleasant 
land  it  was.    There  were  gay  flowers,  and  tall  trees  with  leaves  and 
fruit  such  as  they  had  never  seen  before.     On  the  shore  were  un 
clad  copper-colored  men,  gazing  in  wonder  at  the  Spanish  ships. 
They  took  the  ships  for  great  birds,  the  white  sails  for  their  wings, 
and  the  Spaniards  for  superior  beings  brought  down  from  Heaven 
on  their  backs. 

6.  Columbus  and  his  men  hastened  to  land.     Kneeling,  they 
kissed  the  earth,  and  returned  thanks  for  their  successful  voyage. 


1492]  THE  RETURN  TOY  AGE.  13 

Then  Columbus  took  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  the 
King  and  Queen  of  Spain. 

7.  The  land  thus  discovered  was  one  of  the  Ba-ha'-ma  Islands, 
in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  between  North  and  South  America.     He 
named  it  San  Sal'-va-dor.     Thinking  that  he  was  now  in  the  East 
Indies,  he  called  the  natives  INDIANS.    All  the  islands  of  this  region 
are  still  known  as  the  "West  Indies. 

8.  Columbus  soon  left  San  Salvador,  to  make  further  discover 
ies,  in  the  course  of  which  he  touched  at  Cu'-ba  and  Haiti  \i'-te\. 
At  the  latter  island  he  lost  one  of  his  ships,  and  left  some  of  his 
men  as  a  colony.     After  collecting  specimens  of  the  productions, 
and  inducing  several  of  the  natives  to  embark  with  him,  he  set  out 
to  retrace  his  course  to  Spain. 

9.  On  the  return  voyage,  a  terrific  storm  arose.     Fearing  ship 
wreck,  Columbus  wrote  an  account  of  his  discoveries,  and  sealed  it 
up  in  a  cask,  which  he  threw  into  the  sea,  hoping  that  if  he  and 
his  men  were  lost  it  would  be  picked  up  and  made  known  to  the 
world.     But  it  was  not  God's  will  that  he  should  perish  thus.     His 
ships,  though  shattered,  brought  him  safe  to  port.     He  landed 
amid  the  firing  of  cannon,  and  hastened  to  bear  the  news  of  his 
success  to  Ferdinand  and  Isabella.     Thousands   crowded   around 
him  on  his  journey  to  court.     The  streets  and  windows  were  lined 
with  people,  and  the  Indians  he  had  brought  with  him  were  looked 
at  with  as  much  wonder  as  if  they  had  come  from  the  moon.    "With 
no  less  wonder  did  they  gaze  at  the  strange  scenes  about  them. 

10.  Remember  the  date  of  the  discovery  of  America* — October 
12,  1492. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  How  did  a  ship  of  Columbus's  time  differ  from  one  of  the  present 
day?  For  what  was  the  round  box  on  the  mast  used? — 2.  With  how  many  ships  did 
Columbus  set  out  ?  What  was  thought  of  the  voyage  ?  How  many  men  were  obtained  ? 


14  LATER  VOYAGES  OF  COLUMBUS.  [1493 

From  what  port,  and  when,  did  Columbus  sail  ?  How  old  was  he  ? — 3.  Where  did  Colum 
bus  stop  for  repairs  ?  When  his  men  had  been  some  days  out,  how  did  they  begin  to 
feel?  What  did  they  even  talk  of  doing? — 4.  What  promise  did  Columbus  have  to 
make  ?  What  signs  of  land  soon  appeared  ?  When  was  land  discovered  ?  How  did 
the  sailors  now  feel? — 5.  Describe  the  land,  as  it  appeared  at  daylight.  What  were  seen 
on  the  shore  ?  What  did  the  natives  take  the  ships  to  be  ? — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the 
landing  of  Columbus. — 7.  What  was  the  land  thus  discovered  ?  What  name  did  Colum 
bus  give  it  ?  What  did  he  call  the  natives,  and  why  ?  What  are  the  islands  of  this  re 
gion  still  called  ? — 8.  What  islands  were  next  discovered  by  Columbus  ?  What  occurred 
at  Haiti?  What  did  Columbus  take  with  him  on  his  return? — 9.  What  took  place  on 
the  return  voyage  ?  What  precautions  did  Columbus  take  ?  What  was  the  result  of 
the  storm?  How  were  Columbus  and  his  companions  received? — 10.  What  was  the  date 
of  the  discovery  of  America? 


LESSOR  IV. 

LATEE  VOYAGES  OP  COLUMBUS.— CABOT. 

1.  The  news  of  Columbus's  discovery  threw  all  Europe  into  ex 
citement.     "Wonderful  stones  were  told  about  the  new  land  in  the 
west.     Many  believed  that  gold  grew  on  the  trees,  and  that  dia 
monds  were  as  common  there  as  stones  in  other  countries.     Those 
who  had  before  laughed  at  Columbus,  now  thought  that  their  for 
tunes,  would  be  made  if  they  could  only  get  to  the  land  he  had  dis 
covered.     "  To  the  west !  To  the  west !  "  was  the  cry  of  every  bold 
navigator  that  could  fit  out  a  vessel. 

2.  Columbus  himself  made  three  more  voyages  to  the  western 
world.     On  his  third  voyage,  in  1498,  he  first  reached  the  main 
land,  near  the  mouth  of  the  O-ri-no'-co,  in  South  America. 

3.  Meanwhile  murmurs  arose  among  those  he  had  brought  out, 
because  they  did  not  find  gold   so  plenty  as  they  had  expected. 
The  enemies  of  Columbus,  too,  spread  false  reports  about  him  in 
Spain.     Moved  by  these  stories,  and  forgetting  all  he  had  done,  the 


1513]  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  PACIFIC.  17 

~7~ 

LESSOR    V. 

BALBOA.— MAGELLAN.- COETEZ. 

1.  The  Pacific  Ocean  was  discovered  in  1513  by  Bal-bo'-a,  gov 
ernor  of  a  Spanish  settlement  on  the  Isthmus  of  Darien.     Hearing 
of  a  vast  body  of  water  to  the  south,  he  raised  about  two  hundred 
men,  and  with  native  guides  set  out  to  reach  it.     Balboa  and  his 
men  wore  heavy  armor,  and  could  hardly  make  their  way  through 
the  pathless  forests  and  over  rocks  and  mountains.     A  fierce  tribe 
of  Indians  opposed  their  progress  ;  but,  defeating  these  with  the  aid 
of  their  fire-arms  and  bloodhounds,  they  pushed  on.     Many,  how 
ever,  had  to  stop  by  the  way  from  sickness  and  fatigue ;  and  with 
less  than  half  of  his  party  Balboa  found  himself  ascending  the  peak 
from  the  top  of  which  the  guides  said  that  the  great  water  could  be 
seen. 

2.  When  near  the  top,  Balboa  ordered  his  men  to  halt,  and 
climbed  alone  to  the  summit.     There  he  saw  the  mighty  Pacific 
rolling  away  as  far  as  eye  could  reach.     His  first  act  was  to  thank 
God  for  the  discovery.     He  afterwards  descended  to  the  shore,  and, 
with  his  sword  in  one  hand  and  his  country's  flag  in  the  other, 
wading  out  knee-deep  into  the  water,  took  possession  of  it  in  the 
name  of  the  King  of  Spain,  and  declared  that  he  would  defend  it 
with  his  arms. 

3.  Pacific  means  peaceful.     The  ocean  discovered  by  Balboa 
received  this  name  on  account  of  its  freedom  from  storms  compared 
with  the  Atlantic.     It  was  so  called  by  Ma-gel'-lan,  a  Portuguese, 
who  was  the  first  to  sail  a  ship  on  its  waters.    He  entered  it  through 
a  strait  at  the  south  of  South  America,  since  called  from  him  the 
Strait  of  Magellan. 


MAGELLAN. 


[1521 


4.  Magellan  lost  liis  life  on  this  voyage.     One  of  his  ships,  how 
ever,  continued  to  sail  west,  rounded  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and 


Balboa  taking  possession  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

reached  home  after  an  absence  of  three  years.  This  was  the  first 
vessel  that  ever  sailed  round  the  globe. — What  did  this  voyage 
prove  respecting  the  shape  of  the  earth  ? 

5.  Next  followed  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  in  1519.  Mexico  was 
a  vast  empire.  Its  people  were  far  more  civilized  than  the  natives 
in  other  parts  of  North  America.  They  had  laws  and  courts  of 


1519]  CONQUEST   OF  MEXICO. 


19 


justice,  public  schools,  splendid  temples,  and  large  cities.  They 
tilled  the  ground,  worked  their  rich  mines  of  gold  and  silver,  and 
were  acquainted  with  many  of  the  arts  and  sciences.  Their  Empe 
ror  lived  in  a  magnificent  palace  in  the  city  of  Mexico.  He  was 
waited  on  by  six  hundred  nobles.  His  dishes  and  goblets  were  of 
gold.  He  called  himself  lord  of  the  whole  world,  and  made  the 
neighboring  tribes  pay  him  tribute.  The  Mexicans  did  not  worship 
the  true  God,  but  bowed  down  to  idols  of  wood  and  stone.  To  these 
false  gods  they  cruelly  sacrificed  the  captives  that  they  took  in  war. 

6.  The  Spaniards,  who  were  now  quite  numerous  in  Cuba  and 
the  neighboring  islands,  heard  of  this  rich  empire,  and  resolved  to 
conquer  it.  They  raised  about  six  hundred  men,  and  placed  at 
their  head  a  brave  but  cruel  man  named  Cortez.  Sixteen  of  the 
party  had  horses,  and  a  few  were  armed  with  muskets.  The  rest 
carried  swords,  spears,  and  bows.  With  this  small  force  and  ten 
cannon,  Cortez  set  out  to  conquer  a  great  empire  containing  several 
millions  of  people. 

T.  As  soon  as  the  Mexican  Emperor  heard  that  the  Spaniards 
had  landed,  he  sent  messengers  to  them  with  rich  presents,  but  with 
orders  that  they  should  leave  the  country.  Cortez  received  the 
presents,  but  paid  no  attention  to  the  orders.  Having  burned  his 
ships,  that  his  men  might  not  think  of  returning,  he  pushed  into 
the  interior. 

8.  Before  reaching  the  capital,  several  battles  were  fought  with 
immense  armies  of  natives  ;  but  the  Spaniards  were  always  success 
ful.  The  poor  natives  were  dismayed  by  the  muskets  and  cannon, 
breathing  forth  fire  and  mowing  down  their  ranks.  They  were 
also  frightened  by  Cortez'  horsemen,  whom  they  took  for  horrible 
monsters,  half  men  and  half  beasts.  Horses  had  never  before  been 
seen  on  the  American  Continent. 


CONQUEST   OF  MEXICO.  [1521 


9.  After  a  great  deal  of  hard  fighting,  in  the  course  of  which  he 
was  once  driven  out  of  the  city  with  great  loss,  Cortez  at  last  got 
possession  of  the  capital,  the  Emperor,  and  the  principal  nobles. 
He  treated  his  captives  very  cruelly.  Gold  was  his  great  object  ; 
and  he  was  wicked  enough  to  stretch  the  poor  Mexicans  on  beds  of 
hot  coals  to  make  them  tell  where  they  had  hidden  their  treasures. 
He  put  a  great  many  to  death,  and  subdued  the  whole  nation. 
From  this  time  Mexico  remained  a  Spanish  province  for  aboiit 
three  hundred  years. 

QUESTIONS.  —  1.  By  whom  was  the  Pacific  Ocean  discovered  ?  With  how  many  men  did 
Balboa  start  ?  What  difficulties  were  encountered  ?  How  many  of  his  men  were  dis 
abled  ?—  2.  When  near  the  top,  what  did  Balboa  do  ?  What  did  he  see  ?  What  was  his 
first  act  ?  What  did  he  afterwards  do  ?—  3.  What  does  the  word  pacific  mean  ?  Why 
was  the  ocean  so  called  ?  Who  gave  it  this  name  ?  How  did  Magellan  enter  the  Pacif 
ic  ?_4.  What  became  of  Magellan  ?  What  was  done  by  one  of  his  ships  ?—  5.  What 
conquest  next  followed  ?  When  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  Mexicans  and  their  Emperor. 
What  did  they  worship?—  6.  What  did  the  Spaniards  resolve  to  do?  What  preparations 
did  they  make  for  conquering  Mexico  ?—  7.  What  did  the  Mexican  Emperor  do,  when  he 
heard  the  Spaniards  had  landed?  What  was  done  by  Cortez?—  8.  What  took  place  be 
fore  the  Spaniards  reached  the  capital?  What  was  the  result  of  these  battles?  What 
frightened  the  natives  ?—  9.  After  much  hard  fighting,  what  did  Cortez  succeed  in  doing? 
How  did  he  treat  his  captives  ?  How  long  did  Mexico  remain  a  Spanish  province  ? 


LESSON  VI. 

FEENCH  DISCOVEPwIES.—  DE  SOTO. 


1.  Other  countries  now  began  to  send  out  ships  to  the  new 
world,  as  well  as  Spain  and  England.  In  1524,  a  navigator  in  the 
service  of  the  King  of  France,  explored  the  coast  from  Carolina  to 
Newfoundland.  He  called  the  whole  region  New  France.  Ten 
years  afterwards,  a  Frenchman  named  Cartier  \car-te-a']  made  sev- 


1535]  FREXCH  DISCOVERIES.— DE  SOTO.  21 

eral  voyages  to  America.  He  entered  the  River  St.  Lawrence,  and 
sailed  up  to  a  large  Indian  village,  which  stood  where  Montreal 
has  since  been  built.  The  Indians  were  at  first  very  friendly,  but 
he  made  them  enemies  by  carrying  off  their  chief. 

2.  Shortly  after  this,  a  number  of  Frenchmen  sailed  to  the  new 
world,  and  settled  on  the  St.  Lawrence  River.     They  found  it  so 
cold  and  uninviting,  however,  that  after  passing  one  winter  there 
they  were  glad  to  return.    Several  other  settlements  were  attempted 
by  the  French  in  the  south,  but  without  success. 

3.  Meanwhile  the  Spaniards,  eager  for  gold,  which  they  heard 
was  plenty  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  were  constantly  sending 
out  exploring  parties.     One  of  the  most  famous  of  these  v,  as  led  by 
a  governor  of  Cuba,  named  De  Soto.     He  landed  on  the  coast  of 
Florida,  with  six  hundred  men  in  complete  armor.     De  Soto  took 
with  him  a  blacksmith's  forge,  so  that  when  his  weapons  wore  out 
he  could  make  new  ones.     That  his  men  might  not  want  for  food, 
he  drove  a  great  number  of  hogs  before  him  through  the  woods. 
Thus  prepared,  and  well  furnished  with  horses  and  supplies,  De 
Soto  and  his  party  set  out  on  their  journey  of  discovery. 

4.  For  many  months  they  wandered  to  and  fro  over  what  is 
now  Alabama  and  Georgia.     They  met  many  Indians,  who  would 
have  been  friendly  if  the  Spaniards  had  not,  like  Cortez,  treated 
them  cruelly.     They  were  disappointed  because  they  could  not  find 
any  gold,  and  they  wreaked  their  anger  on  the  innocent  natives. 
They  robbed  them  of  whatever  they  wanted,  and  for  the  slightest 
cause  burned  their  villages,  cut  off  their  hands,  and  gave  them  to 
their  bloodhounds  to  tear  in  pieces. 

5.  Such  treatment  provoked  the  Indians,  and  at  last  a  battle 
was  fought.     The  Spaniards,  with  the  aid  of  their  fire-arms  and 
horses,  were  victorious,  and  killed  a  great  many  of  the  natives. 


DE  SOTO'S  EXPEDITION. 


[15-11 


Some  months  afterwards,  the  Spaniards  having  seized  on  the  village 
of  a  tribe  in  the  north  of  what  is  now  Mississippi,  the  natives  re 
venged  themselves  by  setting  fire  to  their  own  wigwams  in  the 
night.  De  Soto  lost  in  the  flames  many  horses  and  hogs,  most  of 
his  baggage,  and  eleven  of  his  men. 

6.  Continuing  his  march,  De  Soto  in  a  few  days  found  himself 
on  the  bank  of  a  mighty  river  now  called  the  Mississippi.  In  the 
engraving,  you  see  him  and  his  men  on  a  high  bluff,  gazing  on  the 
great  stream  they  have  discovered.  The  river  is  alive  with  canoes 
full  of  natives,  who  are  hastening  to  bring  presents  to  the  strangers, 
not  knowing  how  cruel  they  are. 


7.  De  Soto  was  a  proud  man,  and  he  would  not  go  back  tinsuc* 
cessful.  Hearing  of  gold  in  the  northwest,  he  crossed  the  Missis 
sippi  and  marched  in  that  direction.  Many  weary  miles  he  trav- 


1542]  DEATH  OF  DE  SOTO.  23 

elled.  His  Indian  guides  led  him  into  thick  woods  and  dangerous 
swamps.  To  get  rid  of  him,  the  tribes  he  visited  would  tell  him 
wonderful  stories  about  some  other  country  a  little  farther  on,  where 
gold  was  plenty.  Thus  he  was  kept  marching  about,  only  to  find 
himself  deceived  and  disappointed. 

8.  De  Soto's  men  were  now  dying  around  him  from  exposure 
and  fatigue.     He  saw  that  his  hopes  of  wealth  and  glory  were  vain, 
and  became  disheartened.     A  fever  seized  him,  and  he  died  with 
little  comfort  in  his  last  hours.     His  men  wrapped  his  body  in  a 
cloak,  and,  taking  it  out  in  a  boat,  sunk  it  at  dead  of  night  in  the 
great  Mississippi  which  he  had  discovered. 

9.  After  De  Soto's  death,  his  men  continued  their  wanderings. 
They  first  tried  to  reach  Mexico  by  land,  and  made  their  way  as 
far  as  the  prairies  of  Texas.     Then,  ready  to  sink,  they  turned  back 
to  the  Mississippi,  and  resolved  to  sail  down  to  its  mouth,  and 
thence  along  the  coast  to  some  Spanish  settlement.     Every  scrap 
of  iron  was  used  in  making  nails  to  hold  their  frail  vessels  together. 
After  undergoing  the  severest  hardships,  about  half  of  the  party 
succeeded  in  reaching  their  countrymen.     They  had  spent  over  four 
years  in  their  weary  wanderings. 

QUESTIONS.— 1.  In  1524,  who  explored  the  coast  of  America  ?  What  name  did  he  give 
the  region  he  visited?  Give  an  account  of  Carder's  discoveries.  How  did  he  treat  the 
Indians? — 2.  Where  did  some  Frenchmen  attempt  to  settle?  What  made  Them  return? 
Where  were  other  settlements  attempted  by  the  French  ? — 3.  Meanwhile,  what  were  the 
Spaniards  doing?  Who  led  a  famous  expedition?  Where  did  De  Soto  land?  How 
many  men  had  he?  What  did  he  take  with  him? — 4.  Where  did  De  Soto  wander  for 
many  months  ?  How  did  he  treat  the  Indians  ? — 5.  What  was  the  consequence  of  the 
Spaniards'  cruelty  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  ?  How  did  a  Mississippi  tribe 
revenge  themselves  ? — 6.  What  great  discovery  was  made  by  De  Soto  ?  Describe  the 
scene  in  the  engraving. — 7.  Where  did  De  Soto  next  go,  and  why?  How  did  the  Indian 
tribes  try  to  get  rid  of  him? — 8.  In  what  condition  did  De  Soto  now  find  his  men? 


THE   AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


What  befell  De  Soto  himself?  What  was  done  with  his  corpse? — 9.  What  did  De  Soto's 
men  do  after  his  death?  How  many  reached  their  countrymen?  How  long  had  they 
been  gone  ? 


LESSOR  VII. 

THE   AMEKICAN   INDIANS. 

1.  We  have  said  a  great  deal  about  the  Indians  ;  it  is  time  that 
we  describe  them.  Here  is  a  picture  of  one. 
He  is  tall  and  straight.  In  his  right  hand  is 
his  pipe  of  peace.  Around  his  neck  is  a  collar 
ornamented  with  the  claws  of  bears  that  he  has 
killed.  At  his  back  he  carries  his  tomahawk, 
his  bow,  and  a  quiver  full  of  arrows.  He  wears 
moccasins  on  his  feet,  and  deer-skin  leggings. 
His  head  is  bare  ;  he  has  no  hair  except  a  single 
scalp-lock,  adorned  with  feathers. 

2.  There  were  many  different  tribes  of  In 
dians  in  different  parts  of  America ;  but  they 
looked    alike   and  led   the  same  kind   of  life. 
They  were  all  copper-colored,  and  hence  have 
been  called  Red  Men.     Their  hair  was  black, 
and  very  straight  and  coarse.      In  the  north, 
they  clothed  themselves  with  skins ;  but  in  the  south,  where  the 
climate  was  warmer,  they  wore  little  or  no  covering. 

3.  The  Indian  spent  most  of  his  time  in  the  chase.  He  obtained 
his  food  by  hunting  and  fishing,  and  raised  nothing  except  a  little 
maize  or  Indian  corn.  This  the  women  were  obliged  to  plant  and 
cultivate.  The  warrior  thought  it  beneath  him  to  labor,  and  made 
his  wife,  or  squaw,  as  he  called  her,  do  all  the  work.  She  put  up 


THEIR  MODE   OF  LIFE. 


their  hut,  prepared  their  food,  and  when  they  moved  from  place  to 
place  even  carried  the  baggage. 

4.  When  the  Indian  was  out  hunting,  QJ:  on  the  war-trail,  he 
slept  in  the  open  air,  with  a  fire  burning  beside  him  to  frighten 
wild  beasts  away.     At  home  he 

occupied  a  wigwam,  or  hut,  such 
as  is  shown  in  the  engraving. 
It  was  made  by  stretching  bark 
or  skins  over  poles  stuck  in  the 
ground.  Here  you  see  the  chief 
taking  his  ease,  while  his  wife 
is  cooking  the  dinner.  The 
little  chief  is  playing  with  his 
father's  bow.  The  baby,  or 
pappoosc,  strapped  up  to  keep 
him  still,  is  leaning  against  the 
side  of  the  wigwam.  An  Indian 
woman  often  travelled  miles 
with  her  pappoose  fastened  in 
this  way  on  her  back.  The 
wigwams  of  different  tribes 
were  usually  built  together  in  villages. 

5.  The  Indians  generally,  though  cau 
tious  and  suspicious,  were  friendly  and  Indian  wigwam, 
hospitable.      They   would   set   before   a 

stranger  the  best  they  had,  and  were  grieved  if  he  would  not  eat. 
If  any  one  did  them  a  favor,  they  would  remember  it  for  years, 
and  return  it  when  it  was  in  their  power.  An  Indian  has  been 
known  to  save  the  life  of  a  white  man  who  had  given  him  food 
or  drink  so  long  before  as  to  have  forgotten  all  about  it. 


26  THE  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 

They  remembered  injuries  also,  and  were  unsparing  in  their  re 
venge. 

6.  The  Indians  weje  constantly  engaged  in  wars  with  each  other. 
Arrayed  in  their  war-paint,  they  collected  in  small  parties  under 
distinguished  chiefs.    They  carried  neither  baggage  nor  provisions. 
Each  man  depended  on  the  game  that  he  could  shoot  by  the  way. 

7.  Their  object  was  to  surprise  their  enemies,  to  kill  as  many 
as  possible,  and  escape  unhurt.     They  never  fought  on   an   open 
field.     Their  movements  were  made  as  secretly  as  possible.     The 
chief  led  the  way,  and  each  of  the  party  trod  noiselessly  in  his  foot 
steps.     To  conceal  their  trail  from  the  enemy,  the  last  of  the  party 
would  sometimes  cover  it  with  leaves.     But  it  was  hard  to  deceive 
an  experienced  foe  in  this  way.     The  Indian  could  see  and  hear  at 
a  great  distance,  and  observed  little  things  that  would  escape  the 
notice  of  a  white  man. 

8.  An  enemy  killed  in  battle  was  scalped  at  once.     Without 
this,  there  was  no  glory  in  the  victory.     A  distinguished  chief  could 
point  to  a  dozen  dried  scalps  hanging  at  his  girdle  or  in  his  wig 
wam.     All  prisoners  were  either  killed  on  the  spot,  or  taken  home 
in  triumph.     They  were  there  sometimes  adopted  by  the  tribe  in 
place  of  warriors  that  had  fallen,  but  were  more  generally  tortured. 

9.  A  common  mode  of  dealing  with  prisoners  was  to  make  them 
"run  the  gauntlet".     Two  long  lines  were  formed,  of  men,  women, 
and  children,  armed  with  clubs.     The  prisoner  wTas  placed  at  one 
end,  and  obliged  to  run  to  the  other,  unless  before  reaching  it  he 
sunk  under  the  blows  showered  upon  him  as  he  passed. 

10.  They  would  sometimes  fasten  their  captives  to  trees,  and 
fling  tomahawks  at  their  heads,  to  see  how  near  they  could  come, 
without  striking  them.     At  other  times,  they  would  fasten  their 
victim  to  a  stake,  and  pile  up  burning  branches  and  fagots  around 


THEIR  MODES  OF  BURIAL. 


him.  They  would  shoot  blazing  arrows  into  his  flesh,  and  try  to 
torment  him  in  every  way  they  could  ;  while  he,  in  spite  of  his  suf 
ferings,  would  neither  flinch  nor  groan,  but  meet  his  fate  bravely, 
singing  his  war-song,  and  boasting  how  many  of  their  relations  he 
had  slain. 

11.  When  an  Indian  warrior  died,  his  knife  and  tomahawk, 
bow  and  arrows,  and  sometimes 

his  favorite  dog,  were  buried 
witli  him.  They  thought  that 
in  the  other  world  he  would 
need  them,  as  he  had  done 
here.  They  buried  the  dead 
in  different  ways.  Some  erect 
ed  a  high  platform,  on  which 
they  placed  the  body  in  a  kind 
of  coffin.  Others  buried  it  in 
a  sitting  posture,  or  set  it  on 
the  ground,  and  built  over  it 
a  little  house  of  bark. 
mother  would  sometimes  sus 
pend  the  body  of  her  dead 
child  from  the  branch  of  a 
tree,  and  sing  to  it  as  it  waved  in  the  breeze.  The  graves  of  their 
fathers  they  defended  with  the  greatest  bravery. 

12.  The  Indians  believed  that  all  men  would  live  again  after 
death  :  the  bad,  in  a  place  of  torment ;  but  the  good,  in  the  happy 
hunting-grounds,  where  deer,  buffaloes,  and   all    kinds   of  game 
abounded.     They  did  not  worship  idols,  like  the  Mexicans.     They 
believed  in  a  Great  Spirit,  and  prayed  to  Him  for  every  thing  they 
wanted. 


^ 


28  THE  FIRST   SETTLEMENTS.  [1565 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Describe  the  Indian  represented  in  the  engraving. — 2.  What  is  said 
of  the  different  tribes?  Why  have  the  Indians  been  called  Red  Men?  What  kind  of 
hair  had  they?  How  were  they  clothed  in  the  north?  How,  in  the  south? — 3.  In  what 
did  the  Indian  spend  most  of  his  time?  How  did  he  obtain  his  food?  What  did  he 
raise  ?  What  did  the  Indian  squaw  have  to  do  ? — 4.  How  did  the  Indian  sleep,  when  out 
hunting?  At  home,  what  did  he  occupy?  How  was  the  wigwam  made?  Describe  the 
scene  represented  in  the  engraving. — 5.  How  did  the  Indians  treat  strangers  ?  What 
were  they  sure  to  remember  ? — 6.  In  what  were  the  Indians  constantly  engaged?  When 
on  a  war-trail,  on  what  did  they  depend  for  food? — 7.  What  was  their  object  in  war? 
How  did  they  move?  How  did  they  conceal  their  trail? — 8.  What  was  done  to  an 
enemy  killed  in  battle  ?  How  were  prisoners  treated  ? — 9.  What  common  mode  of  deal 
ing  with  prisoners  is  mentioned  ?  What  is  meant  by  "  running  the  gauntlet "  ? — 10.  How 
would  they  sometimes  torture  a  captive  ?  How  would  the  captive  bear  these  tortures  ? — 
11.  What  were  buried  with  an  Indian  warrior?  Why  was  this  done?  Describe  the 
different  modes  of  burying.  What  would  a  mother  sometimes  do  with  the  corpse  of  her 
child? — 12.  What  did  the  Indians  believe  respecting  the  state  after  death?  To  whom 
did  they  pray  ? 


ESS03    VIII. 


LESS01 

THE  FIKST  SETTLEMENTS. 

Though,  different  parts  of  the  country  were  explored,  as  we 
have  seen,  yet  seventy  years  after  the  discovery  of  Columbus  there 
was  no  settlement  of  white  men  within  what  is  now  the  United 
States.  The  Spanish  were  the  first  to  plant  a  permanent  colony. 
In  1565,  they  founded  St.  Augustine  \_aw-gus-teen'^  in  Florida. 
This  place,  still  known  by  the  same  name,  is  the  oldest  settlement 
in  the  United  States. 

2.  Forty  years  later,  a  French  colony  settled  in  Nova  Scotia. 
Soon  afterwards,  a  Frenchman  named  Champlain  planted  a  colony 
of  his  countrymen  in  Canada,  on  the  spot  where  Quebec  now 
stands.  You  remember  there  is  a  beautiful  lake  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  called  Champlain.  It  received  its  name  from  this 


1584]  SIR  WALTER  RALEIGH'S  COLONIES.  29 

Frenchman,  who  discovered  it  while  on  an  expedition  against  the 
Indians.  The  French  at  this  time  held  the  northern  part  of  the 
continent,  just  as  the  Spaniards  did  the  southern. 

3.  Between   the   possessions   of  the  French   and  the  Spanish 
was  a  large  tract  claimed  by  England.     Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  a  fa 
vorite  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  undertook  to  colonize  it.     He  sent  out  a 
party  in  two  ships,  which  reached  the  coast   of  JSTorth  Carolina. 
They  found  a  rich  and  pleasant  land,  occupied  by  a  friendly  tribe. 
An  Indian  Queen  entertained  them  on  Roanoke  Island.     Persuad 
ing  two  natives  to  accompany  them,  they  returned  to  England,  and 
gave  so  glowing  an  account  of  the  country  they  had  visited,  that 
the  Virgin  Queen,  Elizabeth,  was  delighted,  and  named  it  in  honor 
of  herself,  VIRGINIA. 

4.  Raleigh,  thus  encouraged,  sjjfri  out  a  number  of  emigrants. 
They  settled  on  the  pleasant  fields  of  Roanoke  Island  ;  but  their 
governors  were  imprudent.    One  of  them  burned  an  Indian  village, 
because  a  silver  cup  was  stolen  from  his  men.     Another  fell  on  a 
party  of  friendly  Indians,  thinking  them  to  be  enemies,  and  killed 
several  before  he  found  out  his  mistake.     Such  acts  made  the  kind 
natives  angry  and  revengeful.     Some  of  the  settlers  became  dis 
heartened,  and  returned  to  England.     The  rest  were  killed. 

5.  Still  Raleigh  was  not  discouraged.    He  sent  out  more  settlers 
to  Roanoke,  who  laid  out  "  the  city  of  Raleigh  ".     Their  governor 
went  back  to  England  for  supplies,  and  was  absent  two  years.     On 
his  return  to  the  island,  there  was  not  a  white  man  to  be  seen. 
"Whether  they  had  been  killed  or  carried  off  by  the  Indians,  wa^ 
never  found  out. 

6.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh's  means  were  now  spent,  and  he  had  to 
give  up  his  attempts  to  colonize  Virginia.     Though  he  was  after 
wards  beheaded  on  a  charge  of  treason,  he  is  regarded  as  one  of 


30  THE  FIRST   SETTLEMENTS.  [1590 

the  greatest  men  of  his  day.     The  state  of  North  Carolina  has  call 
ed  its  capital  RALEIGH  in  his  honor. 

7.  Raleigh  was  the  first  to  introduce  potatoes  into  Europe.    He 
planted  some  on  his  Irish  estates.     Others  obtained  seed  from  him, 
and  now  potatoes  are  the  chief  food  of  the  poor  in  Ireland.     He 
brought  over  from  America  another  thing,  which  the  people  of  Eu 
rope  could  have  done  without, — and  that  is  tobacco.     He  learned 
to  smoke  it  from  the  Indians.     One  day  his  servant,  who  had  never 
seen  tobacco  used,  entering  his  master's  room,  found  him  surround 
ed  with  smoke,  and  thinking  he  was  on  fire  dashed  a  mug  of  ale 
over  him. 

8.  The  first  permanent  English  settlement  was  made  in  1607, 
by  a  party  under  Captain  Newport.    They  were  sent  out  by  a  com 
pany  to  whom  Virginia  had  (£en  granted.     Carried  by  a  storm 
past  Roanoke  Island,  where  they  meant  to  land,  they  entered  a 
noble  river,  which  they  called  after  their  King,  THE  JAMES.     Some 
miles  above  its  mouth,  they  chose  a  favorable  spot,  and  laid  out  the 
city  of  Jamestown.     This  region  belonged  to  Powhatan,  a  famous 
Indian  chief,  the  head  of  thirty  tribes.     Some  of  the  Indians  did 
not  like  the  white  men's  settling  there.     But  Powhatan  said,  "  Let 
them  alone.     They  hurt  you  not.    They  only  take  a  little  waste 
land." 

9.  Newport  soon  returned  to  England.     Hardly  was^he  gone 
when  the  settlers  were  attacked  with  sickness.     At  one  time  only 
ten  were  able  to  stand.     In  a  few  weeks  but  half  the  party  were 
left  alive,  and  they  were  seized  with  despair.     They  would  no  doubt 
all  have  perished,  had  they  not  at  this  crisis  placed  Captain  John 
Smith  at  their  head. 

10.  Smith  was  a  brave  and  wise  man.     He  soon  had  things  in  a 
better  state.     He  made  the  idle  work,  and  prevented  the  timid  from 


160?]  CAPTAIN  JOHN"  SMITH.  31 

sailing  away,  as  they  had  intended  to  do.  He  explored  the  sur 
rounding  country,  and  kept  in  check  the  natives,  who  were  becom 
ing  suspicious  and  unfriendly. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  For  how  many  years  was  there  no  permanent  settlement  in  what  is 
now  the  United  States  ?  Who  planted  the  first  permanent  golony  ?  When  and  where  ? — 
2.  What  settlement  was  made  forty  years  afterwards '?  Where  was  a  colony  planted  by 
Champlain?  What  received  its  name  from  Champlain?  What  part  of  the  continent  did 
the  French  hold?  The  Spanish? — 3.  Who  claimed  the  tract  between  the  French  and 
the  Spanish  possessions  ?  Who  undertook  to  colonize  it  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  first 
expedition  sent  out  by  Raleigh.  What  name  was  given  to  the  region,  and  why? — 4. 
Where  did  the  second  party  sent  out  by  Raleigh  settle?  What  acts  of  imprudence  were 
committed  by  their  governors? — What  was  the  consequence? — 5.  What  did  Raleigh 
next  do  ?  What  city  was  laid  out  ?  What  became  of  this  colony  ? — 6.  What  became  of 
Raleigh  ?  How  is  he  regarded  ?  What  city  has  been  named  in  his  honor  ? — 7.  What  use 
ful  article  did  Raleigh  introduce  into  Europe?  What  else?  What  anecdote  is  related  of 
his  servant? — 8.  When  and  by  whom  was  the»first  permanent  English  settlement  made? 
Where  did  this  party  mean  to  land?  Where  did  they  land?  What  city  did  they  lay 
out?  To  whom  did  this  region  belong?  How  did  some  of  the  Indians  feel  towards  the 
English  ?  What  did  Powhatan  say  ? — 9.  What  happened  soon  after  Newport's  return  to 
England?  What  saved  the  colony? — 10.  What  kind  of  a  man  was  Captain  Smith? 
What  measures  did  he  take  ? 


LESSOR  IX. 

CAPTAIN   JOHN   SMITH. 

1.  Captain  Smith's  early  life  was  full  of  adventures.     Running 
away  from  home  in  his  youth,  he  helped  the  Dutch  fight  for  their 
freedom.     But  he  soon  got  tired  of  this,  and  one  dark  night  he  de 
serted,  and  made  his  way  to  France.     Then  he  went  to   Egypt. 
Wherever  there  was  anything  wonderful  to  see,  he  wandered.. 

2.  On  one  of  his  voyages,  he  acted  rudely  towards  some  of  his 
fellow-passengers,  and  they  threw  him  overboard.     He  came  near 
drowning ;    but    saved  himself  by  swimming  to  a  rocky  island, 


CAPTAIN  JOHN  SMITH. 


[1608 


where  lie  stayed  until  a  passing  vessel  took  him  off.     Next  we  find 
him  in  Hungary,  fighting  the  Turks  hand  to  hand,  like  the  knights 

of  old.  At  last,  being  wounded 
in  a  skirmish,  he  was  taken  pris 
oner  and  sold  as  a  slave. 

3.  Smith  was  now  carried 
off  hundreds  of  miles  into  a 
dreary  country.  He  was  load 
ed  with  chains,  and  treated 
harshly.  So  he  resolved  to 
escape.  Seizing  his  chance, 
he  rose  against  his  oppressor, 
and  mounting  a  horse,  fled 
through  pathless  forests  to  Rus 
sia.  Hence,  after  some  further 
adventures,  he  made  his  way 
back  to  England,  in  time  to 
join  Newport's  party. 

4.  While  out  on  one  of  his  exploring  expeditions  in  Virginia, 
Smith  was  suddenly  attacked  by  Indians.     He  had  ordered  his  men 
to  stay  by  the  boat  while  he  went  out  to  reconnoitre ;  but  they 
wandered  off,  and  were  killed  by  the  savages.     After  slaying  three 
of  his  enemies,  Smith,  while  trying  to  escape,  sunk  in  a  swamp  and 
had  to  yield.     Even  then  the  Indians  were  afraid  to  touch  him  till 
he  had  thrown  away  his  arms.     He  would  now  have  lost  his  life,  'if 
he  had  not  understood  the  character  of  the  Indians.     Taking  his 
compass  out  of  his  pocket,  he  showed  them  how  the  needle  always 
points  north,  and  told  them  about  the  shape  of  the  Earth  and  the 
heavenly  bodies. 

5.  To  increase  the  wondei/  of  the  savages,  Smith  told  them  that 


Captain  John  Smith. 


1608] 


SMITH'S  CAPTIVITY. 


the  next  clay  they  would  find  some  articles  that  he  named,  in  a 
certain  place  in  the  forest.  He  then  wrote  to  his  countrymen  at 
Jamestown  to  put  the  articles  there.  They  did  so  ;  and  when  the 
Indians,  who  did  not  understand  his  writing,  saw  every  thing  turn 
out  as  he  had  said,  they  began  to  look  on  him  as  more  than  man. 
They  carried  him  around  to  their  different  villages  in  triumph,  and 
at  last  brought  him  to  their  chief,  Powhatan. 

6.  Here   a  solemn  council  was  held,  and  it  was  determined 


Pocahoutas  saving  Captain  Smith. 

that  Smith  should  be  put  to  death.    His  head  was  laid  on  a  large 


34  CAPTAIN  JOHN  SMITH.  [1608 

stone  to  receive  the  fatal  blow.  A  fierce  savage  stood  beside  him, 
war-club  in  hand.  Just  as  he  was  about  to  strike,  Po-ca-hon'-tas, 
a  gentle  Indian  girl  of  twelve  years,  ran  forward,  threw  her  arms 
about  the  prisoner,  and  with  tears  besought  the  savages  to  spare 
his  life.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Powhatan,  and  the  favorite 
of  the  whole  tribe.  Smith  had  amused  her,  during  his  captivity, 
by  making  her  toys,  and  telling  her  about  the  wonders  of  nature. 
She  had  become  fond  of  the  stranger,  and  now  tried  to  save 
him. 

7.  Moved  by  the  tears  of  Pocahontas,  the  Indians  spared  Cap 
tain  Smith.     They  even  treated  him  kindly,  and  let  him  go  back  to 
Jamestown  with  promises  of  friendship.     Pocahontas  continued  the 
firm  friend  of  the  English.     She  often  visited  them,  bringing  bas 
kets  of  corn  to  relieve  their  wants.     Once,  when  the  Indians  had 
formed  a  plot  to  surprise  and  murder  all  the  whites,  she  came 
through  the  woods  by  night  at  the  risk  of  her  own  life,  and  warned 
them  to  be  on  their  guard. 

8.  On  his  return  to  Jamestown,. Smith  found  the  colonists  re 
duced  to  forty  men,  and  these  were  on  the  point  of  leaving  in  de 
spair,     lie  made  them  remain,  and  soon  after  Newport   arrived 
with  fresh  settlers  and  supplies.     Some  of  the  new  comers  were 
goldsmiths ;  and,  seeing  some  glittering  sand  near  the  town,  they 
fancied  it  must  be  gold  dust.     Newport  was  foolish  enough  to  load 
his  vessel  with  this  worthless  sand,  and  carry  it  to  England. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Relate  some  of  Captain  Smith's  early  adventures. — 2.  What  took 
place  on  one  of  his  voyages?  What  do  we  next  find  him  doing? — 3.  How  was  Smith 
treated  during  his  captivity  ?  Give  an  account  of  his  escape. — 4.  What  befell  Smith, 
while  out  on  one  of  his  exploring  expeditions?  How  did  he  save  himself  from  imme 
diate  death  ? — 5.  How  did  Captain  Smith  increase  the  wonder  of  the  savages  ?  What 
did  they  do  with  him? — 6.  What  took  place  when  they  reached  Powhatan's  village? 


1608]  THE   VIRGINIA   COLONY.  35 

How  was  Smith  saved?  Why  did  Pocahontas  want  to  save  Smith? — 7.  After  sparing 
his  life,  how  did  the  Indians  treat  Captain  Smith?  What  services  did  Pocahontas  ren 
der  the  English? — 8.  In  what  condition  did  Smith  find  aifairs  at  Jamestown?  Who  soon 
after  arrived  ?  What  mistake  did  some  of  the  new  comers  fall  into  ? 


10 

.    LESSOR  X. 

THE   VIRGINIA   COLONY. 

1.  Smith  could  not  remain  idle.     In  1608,  lie  set  out  on  a  voy 
age  of  discovery  in  an  open  boat.     lie  explored  Chesapeake  Bay, 
arid  several  large  rivers  that  flow  into  it.     He  traded  with  the  In 
dians,  and  made  a  map  of  the  whole  region  he  visited.     Soon  after 
his  return,  Newport  again  arrived  with  more  settlers.     But  they 
were  not  used  to  hard  work.     So  they  did  the  colony  very  little 
good. 

2.  Soon  after  this,  Lord  Delaware  was  appointed  governor  of 
Virginia,  and  nine  vessels  were  sent  out  with  supplies  and  men. 
Most  of  the  ships  arrived  safe  at  Jamestown  ;  but  the  one  that  con 
tained  the  leaders  of  the  party  was  wrecked,  and  it  was  months  be 
fore  they  reached  the  colony.     Meanwhile  Smith  had  hard  work  to 
manage  affairs.     Those  who  had  arrived  last  were  idle  and  quarrel 
some,  and  said  he  had  no  right  to  order  them  about. 

3.  There  was  danger,  too,  of  starving.     Powhatan,  alarmed  by 
the  increasing  numbers  of  the  English,  said  he  had  no  corn  to 
spare,  and  would  neither  give    nor  sell  them   any.      But   Smith 
knew  better  than  this.    So,  taking  some  large  blue  beads  with  him, 
he  went  to  see  Powhatan.     Showing  them  as  if  by  accident,  he 
told  the  chief  that  in  his  country  none  but  kings  were  allowed  to 
wear  such  ornaments.    When  Powhatan  heard  this,  he  gladly  gave 
several  hundred  bushels  of  corn  for  a  few  of  the  beads.     Another 


36  THE  VIRGINIA  COLONY.  [1609 

time,  lie  gave  nearly  a  hundred  bushels  of  corn  for  a  little  copper 
kettle.  Do  yon  think  it  was  right  for  Smith  to  impose  on  the  sim 
ple  Indian  in  this  way,  even  to  save  the  lives  of  his  countrymen  ? 

4.  In  spite  of  all  his  difficulties,  Captain  Smith  managed  the 
colony  well,  till  he  was  injured  by  an  explosion  of  gunpowder. 
Then  he  had  to  return  to  England.     No  sooner  was  he  gone  than 
every  thing  went  wrong.     The  colonists  would  not  work  any  more, 
but  called  on  the  Indians  to  keep  them  supplied  with  corn.     The 
Indians  refused,  and  plotted  together  to  destroy  the  whites.     Seve 
ral  small  parties  were  cut  off.     Some  of  the  colonists  seized  a  vessel 
and  sailed  away.     The  rest  almost  died  of  famine.     Long  was  this 
period  remembered  as  the  starving  time. 

5.  The  arrival  of  Lord  Delaware  himself,  with  men  and  provi 
sions,  alone  saved  the  colony.     Under  Delaware  and  his  successors, 
Virginia  flourished.    Cattle  and  hogs  were  introduced  from  Europe. 
Tobacco  was  cultivated  and   exported 'to  England.     As  coin  was 
scarce,  tobacco  passed  for  money. 

6.  Thus  far  very  few  women  had  come  over  to  America.     In 
1620,  to  make  the  colonists  attached  to  their  new  country,  the  Lon 
don  Company  sent  over  ninety  young  women.     These  were  soon 
married  to  the  settlers,  who  gave  a  hundred  pounds  of  tobacco 
apiece  for  the  expense  of  bringing  them  over.     The  next  year  more 
were  sent  out.     There  was  soon  many  a  pleasant  home  on  the  fer 
tile  fields  of  Virginia. 

7.  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  know  what  became  of  Pocahontas. 
This  lovely  Indian  girl,  when  about  eighteen  years  old,  was  betray 
ed  into  the  hands  of  a  party  of  Englishmen.     They  refused  to  give 
her  up  unless  Powhatan  would  ransom  her.     Instead  of  doing  this, 
the  old  chief  resolved  on  war.     At  this  crisis,  a  young  planter 
named  Eolfe,  who  had  fallen  in  love  with  the  beautiful  Indian,  of- 


1613]  POCAHONTAS  IN  ENGLAND.  37 

fered  her  his  hand  in  marriage.  She  accepted  it,  gave  up  her  for 
mer  religion,  and  became  a  Christian.  Powhatan  appdbved  of  the 
marriage,  and  ever  from  that  time  remained  faithful  to  the  English. 

8.  Rolfe  afterwards  took  his  wife  to  England.    She  was  received 
with  much  kindness.     Rooms  were  given  her  in  the  palace,  and 
the  noblest  in  the  land  flocked  to  see  her.  ^  Among  others,  came 
her  old  friend,  Captain  Smith,  whose  life  sft  had  saved.     All  ad 
mired  her  winning  ways.     But  the  climate  of  England  was  too  cold 
for  her.      She  was    about   returning  to  Virginia,  when  she  died, 
leaving  an  only  son.     Several  Yirginia  families  trace  their  descent 
to  this  Indian  princess. 

9.  Powhatan  sent  one  of  his  warriors  to  England  with  Pocahon- 
tas,  to  see  the  country  and  find  out  how  many  people  were  there. 
When  they  reached  England,  this  Indian  got  a  long  stick,  thinking 
he  would  number  the  inhabitants  by  making  a  notch  on  it  for  every 
one  he   saw.     He   soon   had  to  stop.     On  his  return,  Powhatan 
asked  him  many  questions,  and  among  the  rest  how  many  people 
he  had  seen  in  England.     "  Count  the  stars  in  the  sky,"  he  replied, 
"  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  or  the  sands  on  the  shore,  for  such  is  the 
number  of  the  English." 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  "What  did  Captain  Smith  do  in  1608  ?  What  took  place  shortly  after 
his  return  ? — 2.  Who  was  soon  afterwards  appointed  governor  ?  How  many  vessels  were 
sent  out  ?  What  happened  to  one  of  these  ?  Who  managed  affairs  till  the  leaders  of 
the  party  arrived?  What  difficulties  did  he  labor  under? — 3.  What  other  danger  was 
there?  How  did  Smith  manage  to  get  some  corn  from  Powhatan? — 4.  What  obliged 
Captain  Smith  to  return  to  England  ?  What  was  the  consequence  of  his  return?  What 
was  this  period  called  ?— 5.  What  saved  the  colony?  What  was  the  state  of  affairs  under 
Delaware?  What  passed  for  money? — 6.  In  1620,  what  was  done  by  the  London  com 
pany,  to  make  the  colonists  attached  to  their  new  country  ?  What  was  the  price  of  a 
wife? — 7.  What  became  of  Pocahontas? — 8.  Where  did  Rolfe  take  his  wife?  How  was 
she  received?  What  effect  had  the  climate  of  England  on  her? — 9.  What  anecdote  is 
related  of  one  of  Powhatan's  warriors? 


38  DUTCH  SETTLEMENTS.  [1609 

LESSON    XI. 
DUTCH   SETTLEMENTS.— HENRY  HUDSON. 

1.  The  next  settlement  was  made  in  what  is  now  the  state  of 
New  York,  by  the  Du^h.     This  nation  traded  largely  with  the  East 
Indies.      They  thougnt  that  the  voyage  thither  would  be  much 
shortened,  if  a  passage  could  be  found  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the 
Pacific,  north  of  America.    No. such  passage  has  ever  been  found,  be 
cause  the  land  extends  far  north  to  where  the  ocean  is  frozen  by  the 
intense  cold.     But  the  Dutch  did  not  know  this  ;  so  they  sent  out  a 
navigator  named  Henry  Hudson,  to  discover  "  a  north-west  passage  ". 

2.  The  chief  river  in  New  York,  you  remember,  is  the  Hudson. 
It  is  so  called  from  this  same  navigator,  who  discovered  it.     Stri 
king  the  coast  of  Maine,  Hudson  sailed  south  as  far  as  Yirginia  with 
out  finding  the  passage  he  was  in  search  of.     Then  turning  back 
and  closely  examining  the  coast,  he  discovered  an  inlet  between 
New  Jersey  and  Long  Island.     He  entered  it,  and  soon  found  him 
self  in  what  is  now  the  noble  harbor  of  New  York. 

3.  The  island  on  which  the  city  of  New  York  stands,  is  called 
Manhattan.     This  is  an  Indian  word,  meaning  the  place  of  drunk 
enness.     I  will  tell  you  why  it  was  so  called.     When  Hudson's  ship 
was  coming  up  the  bay,  some  Indians  who  were  fishing  saw  it  in 
the  distance,  and  could  not  make  out  what  it  was.     They  called  to 
gether  their  companions  from  far  and  near,  and  watched  the  strange 
object  as  it  approached.     Some  thought  it  was  a  floating  wigwam  ; 
others,  that  it  was  a  big  fish.     At  last  they  concluded  it  was  a  huge 
canoe,  containing  the  Manitou,  or  Good  Spirit,  who  was  about  to 
visit  them. 

4.  A  great  feast  was  prepared,  and  the  chiefs  engaged  in  a  grand 


1609]  HUDSON   ON  MANHATTAN  ISLAND. 


dance.  At  last  the  ship  stopped,  a  boat  was  lowered,  and  Henry 
Hudson,  dressed  in  red,  entered  it  with  a  number  of  his  men.  Now 
they  were  sure  the  Manitou  was  come,  and  formed  a  circle  to  receive 
him. 

5.  When  Hudson  reached  the  land,  he  saluted  the  natives,  and 
then  produced  a  bottle  of  liquor.     After  drinking  a  glass  himself, 
he  poured  out  another,  and  handed  it  to  the  nearest  chief.     Afraid 
to  drink  it,  the  Indian  only  smelled  the  liquor,  and  passed  it  to  the 
next,  who  did  the  same.     Thus  the  glass  passed  around  the  whole 
circle,  and  was  about  to  be  handed  back  untasted,  when  one  of  the 
chiefs,  fearing  that  the  Manitou  would  be  angry,  took  it  and  said 
he  would  drink  it,  no  matter  what  the  consequences  might  be. 

6.  No  sooner  had  he  drained  the  glass  than  he  began  to  stag 
ger,  and  at  last  he  fell  to  the  ground.     His  friends  thought  he  was 
dead  ;  but  he  soon  got  up  again,  and  declared  he  had  never  before 
felt  so  happy.     They  were  all  now  eager  to  try  the  wonderful  "  fire 
water  ",  and  it  ended  in  all  the  natives'  getting  drunk. 

7.  The  next   day,  Hudson  distributed   some  beads,  stockings, 
and  axe-heads,  among  his  new  friends.     They  were  delighted  with 
these  presents,  but  did  not  know  how  to  use  them.     The  next  time 
the  Dutch  visited  the  spot,  they  saw  that  the  Indians  had  turned 
the  stockings  into  tobacco-pouches,  and  strung  the  heavy  axe-heads 
around  their  necks  as  ornaments. 

8.  Hudson  sailed  up  the  river  till  it  became  so  shallow  that  he 
could  go  no  farther.     One  of  his  boats  ascended  beyond  where  Al 
bany  now  stands.     After  holding  friendly  intercourse  with  several 
native  tribes,  he  sailed  down  again  to  the  mouth,  and  thence  back 
to  Europe,  to  give  an  account  of  his  discoveries.     The  next  year  he 
made  another  voyage.     Sailing  farther  north,  he  discovered  Hud 
son  Bay,  but  lost  his  life  in  its  icy  waters. 


40  DUTCH  SETTLEMENTS.  [1610 

9.  The  Dutch  followed  up  Hudson's  discovery  by  sending  out 
trading  vessels  to  the  region  he  had  visited.     They  obtained  large 
quantities  of  beaver-skins  and  other  furs  from  the  Indians,  in  ex 
change  for  beads,  knives,  and  hatchets.     This  was  found  so  profita 
ble  that  forts  were  built  at  different  points  to  protect  the  traders. 
One  of  these  was  erected  on  Manhattan  Island,  in  1614.     A  few 
huts  were  put  up  around  it,  and  the  name  of  New  Amsterdam  was 
given  to  the  settlement.     Such  was  the  origin  of  the  great  city  of 
New  York.     The  whole  region  was  called  by  the  Dutch  New  Neth 
erlands. 

10.  The  Dutch  were  a   quiet,  honest  people.     They  loved  to 
smoke  their  pipes,  and  talked  no  more  than  they  could  help.    They 
paid  the  Indians  for  their  land,  though  they  made  good  bargains, 
and  got  it  very  cheap.     The  whole  island  of  Manhattan,  now  worth 
millions  upon  millions,  cost  them  only  twenty-four  dollars.     Wher 
ever  money  was  to  be  made  by  traffic  with  the  natives,  they  estab 
lished  posts ;  and  their  traders  soon  spread  out  on   Long  Island, 
Stateii  Island,  and  New  Jersey.     But  it  was  not  till  1621  that  fam 
ilies  came  over  to  settle  in  New  Netherlands. 


QUESTIONS. — 1.  Where  and  by  -who.nl  was  the  next  settlement  made  ?  Why  did  the 
Dutch  want  to  find  "  a  north-west  passage  "  ?  Whom  did  they  send  out  ? — 2.  What  was 
called  after  the  navigator  Hudson?  Give  an  account  of  Hudson's  voyage. — 3.  What  is 
the  name  of  the  island  on  which  the  city  of  New  York  stands  ?  What  does  this  word 
mean  ?  What  did  the  Indians  think  when  they  saw  Hudson's  ship  approaching  ? — 4,  6,  6. 
Tell  the  story  about  Hudson's  meeting  with  the  Indians.  Why,  after  this,  did  they  call 
the  place  Manhattan  ? — 7.  What  did  Hudson  give  the  Indians  ?  What  use  did  they  make 
of  these  gifts  ? — 8.  How  high  did  Hudson's  ship  ascend  the  river  ?  How  far  did  one  of 
his  boats  go  ?  What  did  Hudson  then  do  ?  What  discovery  did  he  afterwards  make  ? 
What  was  the  fate  of  Hudson  ? — 9.  How  did  the  Dutch  follow  up  Hudson's  discovery  ? 
In  what  did  they  trade  ?  How  did  they  protect  the  traders  ?  What  was  the  origin  of 
the  great  city  of  New  York?  What  was  it  first  called?  What  was  the  whole  region 


1620]  THE   PILGRIM   FATHERS.  41 

called  ? — 10.  What  kind  of  a  people  were  the  Dutch  ?  How  much  did  they  give  for 
Manhattan  Island?  Where  did  they  establish  posts?  Where  did  their  traders  spread 
out  ?  When  did  families  come  over  to  Xew  Netherlands  ? 


XII. 

THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS. 

1.  Captain  John  Smith,  in  one  of  his  exploring  voyages,  visited 
the  coast  of  what  is  now  Maine  and  Massachusetts.     To  this  north 
ern  region  he  gave  the  name  of  NEW  ENGLAND.     It  was  first  per 
manently  settled  in  1620,  by  a  party  from  England,  who  are  often 
spoken  of  as  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.     They  belonged  to  a  religions 
sect  called  Puritans,  who  were  ill  treated  in  England  because  they 
wished  to  worship  God  in  their  own  way. 

2.  A  number  of  Puritan  families  determined   to   emigrate   to 
America,  that  they  might  enjoy  their  religion  unmolested.     One 
hundred  persons  embarked  on  a  little  vessel  called  the  Mayflower. 
They  meant  to  settle  near  the  Hudson  Kiver ;  but  a  long  and 
stormy  voyage  brought  them  to  the  dreary  shore  of  Cape  Cod,  on 
the  Massachusetts  coast. 

3.  Parties  were  sent  out  to  explore  the  coast.     They  found  noth 
ing  but  some  Indian  graves  and  a  small  heap  of  corn.     The  ground 
was  covered  with  snow,  and  many  took  violent  colds,  from  which 
they  afterwards  died.     A  boat  was  then  despatched  with  some  of 
the  leading  men,  to  sail  along  the  coast  and  find  a  good  place  for 
landing. 

4.  Bitterly  cold  the  little  party  found  it.     The  spray  froze  on 
their  coats,  and  made  them  as  stiff  and  bright  as  if  they  had  been 
of  steel.     Once,  when  they  had  landed,  some  Indians  came  near, 
and  raising  the  terrible  war-whoop  discharged  a  volley  of  arrows  at 


42 


THE   PILGRIM  FATHERS. 


them  ;  but  the  sound  of  the  Pilgrims'  muskets  soon  put  the  savages 
to  flight.  Resuming  their  voyage,  they  were  overtaken  by  a  vio 
lent  storm  and  almost  wrecked.  They  found  shelter,  however,  on 
an  island.  There  was  a  good  harbor  in  the  main  land  near  by  ; 
and,  as  the  country  seemed  to  be  more  fertile  than  any  they  had 
before  seen,  they  determined  to  land  there,  and  ser*  for  their  com 
panions  on  the  Mayflower. 

5.  The  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  took  place  on  the  21st  of  Decem 
ber,  1620.     The  day  is  still  kept  by  the  people  of  New  England. 


They  gave  the  name  of  Plymouth  to  the  place  they  founded.     It  is 


..  j 


1620]  SICKNESS  AND  DEATH.  43 

on  the  eastern  coast  of  Massachusetts.  Here  you  have  a  picture  of 
the  Puritans,  with  their  wives  and  children,  landing  on  the  bleak 
snow-covered  shore. 

6.  The  Pilgrims  at  once  commenced  building  huts.     But  they 
had  been  exposed  so  much  that  many  were  taken  ill.     Six  of  their 
number  died  in  December,  and  at  one  time  almost  every  person  in 
the  settlement  was  stretched  on  a  sick  bed.     Yet  they  kept  stout 
hearts  and  put  their  trust  in  God. 

7.  The  houses  of  the  Puritans  were  built  of  rough  logs.     They 
had  nothing  but  long  grass  with  which  to  cover  their  roofs.     One 
night  in  January,  two  of  the  party,  Brown  and  Goodman,  went 
out  into  the  woods  to  gather  some  of  this  grass.     On  their  return, 
they  lost  their  way.     Night  was  near  at  hand,  and,  to  add  to  their 
trouble,  a  heavy  snow- storm  set  in. 

8.  After  trying  in  vain  to  find  their  way  back,  they  sat  down 
under  the  shelter  of  a  large  rock,  and  prepared  to  spend  the  night 
there.     But  before  long  the  wind  commenced  howling  among  the 
branches,  and  in  their  fright  they  fancied  it  was  the  roaming  of  a 
lion.     They  knew  not  that  there  were  no  lions  in  America,  and  so 
they  climbed  a  tree  for  safety.     But  there  they  were  exposed  to  the 
cold  wind,  which  pierced  their   clothes   and   made   them   shiver. 
Finding  that  they  would  freeze  unless  they  kept  in  motion,  they 
came  down  from  the  tree  and  walked  round  and  round  it  as  fast  as 
they  could  till  daylight. 

9.  Glad  were  the  two  wanderers  when  morning  appeared.     They 
lost  no  time  in  pursuing  their  way,  and,  after  walking  fast  or  run 
ning  all  day,  they  succeeded  in  reaching  Plymouth  in  the  evening. 
Their  companions,  having  searched  for  them  without  success,  had 
given  them  up  for  lost,  and  supposed  that  they  had  been  killed 
or  carried   off  by  Indians.      Long  did  Brown   and   Goodman  re- 


44  THE  PLYMOUTH   COLONY.  [1621 

member  the  roaring  of  the  lion   and  that  freezing  night  in  the 
woods. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  gave  New  England  its  name?  When  and  by  whom  was  New 
England  first  permanently  settled?  To  what  religious  sect  did  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  be 
long  ? — 2.  Why  did  the  Puritans  come  to  America?  How  many  came  at  first?  On  what 
vessel  ?  Where  did  they  mean  to  settle  ?  What  part  of  the  coast  did  they  reach  ? — 3. 
What  was  found  by  the  exploring  parties  sent  out  ?  What  was  the  consequence  of  their 
exposure?  What  did  the  Puritans  finally  do? — 4.  Relate  the  adventures  of  this  explor 
ing  party.  What  did  they  at  last  find  ?— 5.  When  did  the  Pilgrims  land  ?  What  did 
they  call  the  place  they  founded ?  Where  is  Plymouth  situated?  What  do  you  see  in 
the  engraving  ? — 6.  What  befell  the  Pilgrims  after  their  lauding  ? — 7.  Of  what  were  the 
houses  of  the  Puritans  built  ?  With  what  did  they  cover  them  ?  What  happened  one 
night  in  January? — 8,  9.  Tell  the  story  about  Brown  and  Goodman. 


LESSOR  XIII. 

THE  PLYMOUTH  COLONY. 

1.  The  winter  was  gloomy  enough  for  the  Puritans.     They  suf 
fered  ranch  from  hardship  and  sickness.     By  April  half  their  num 
ber  had  died.     But  the  weather  now  grew  mild.     Birds  began  to 
appear.     The  fields  became  green.     The  sick  soon  got  better. 

2.  The  country  around  Plymouth,  though   deserted  when  the 
Pilgrims  settled  there,  showed  signs  of  having  been  inhabited  be 
fore.     Smoke  was  seen  afar  off  several  times  through  the  winter, 
and  parties  were  sent  out  to  find  the  Indians  from  whose  fires  it 
came,  and  open  a  friendly  intercourse  with  them.     They  did  not 
succeed  ;  but  early  in  the  spring  a  single  Indian  entered  the  town. 
The  settlers  were  surprised,  as  he  approached,  to  hear  him  say, 
"  Welcome,  Englishmen  !  "     He  had  learned  a  little  English  from 
previous  voyagers. 

3.  The  name  of  this  Indian  was  Sam'-o-set.     He  told  the  white 


1621]  VISIT   OF   SAMOSET.  45 

men  that  he  belonged  to  a  tribe  that  lived  about  five  days'  journey 
off.  That  they  were  welcome  to  the  land  where  they  had  settled, 
for  there  was  no  one  else  to  claim  it.  That,  several  years  before,  the 
Indians  who  had  lived  there  had  been  swept  off  by  a  pestilence. 
About  this  pestilence  a  curious  story  is  told. 

4.  It  seems  that,  a  few  years  before  the  Pilgrims  landed,  a 
French  ship  went  ashore  on  Cape  Cod,  and  the  Indians  cruelly  put 
to  death  nearly  all  on  board  of  her.     One  of  the  Frenchmen,  who 
was  spared,  remained   some  time  with  the  Indians  as  a  captive. 
One  day  he  told  them  that  the  Great  Spirit  would  punish  them  for 
having  killed  his  countrymen,  and  would  give  their  land  to  others. 
But  they  laughed  at  him,  and  asked  whether  he  supposed  that  his 
Great  Spirit  could  destroy  so  powerful  a  tribe  as  theirs.    He  replied 
that,  if  God  wanted  to  destroy  them,  He  would  easily  find  a  way. 
Soon  after  this  a  fatal  disease  broke  out,  which  swept  off  nearly 
the  whole  tribe.     The  few  that  remained  were  killed  by  a  hostile 
nation.     This  was  the  reason  why  the  Puritans  had  seen  so  many 
graves,  but  no  living  Indians. 

5.  The  Pilgrims  treated  Samoset  kindly,  and  soon  after  his 
chief,  Mas-sas'-o-it,  came  to  pay  them  a  visit.     They  received  Mas- 
sasoit  with  great  respect.     They  presented  him  two  knives  and  a 
copper  chain,  and  gave  his  brother  a  pot  of  "  strong  water  ",  and 
some  biscuits  and  butter.     A  treaty  was  made,  and  Massasoit  and 
his  tribe  always  remained  faithful  friends  of  the  white  men. 

6.  Two  of  the  Puritans  soon  afterwards  returned  Massasoit's 
visit.     They  found  the  chief  very  sick,  and  his  medicine-men  trying 
to  cure  him  with  hideous  noises  and  foolish  dances.     Turning  them 
out  of  the  wigwam,  one  of  the  Puritans  gave  the  chief  some  simple 
remedy,  and  restored  him  to  health.    He  never  forgot  this  kindness. 

7.  All  the  Indians,  however,  were  not  so  friendly.     A  tribe 


46  THE  PLYMOUTH   COLONY.  [1622 

that  was  at  war  with  Massasoit,  sent  to  the  Puritans  a  bundle  of 
arrows  wrapped  in  a  rattle-snake's  skin.  This  was  their  way  of  de 
claring  war.  The  Puritan  governor  sent  back  the  skin  filled  with 
powder  and  balls.  The  Indians  thought  the  bullets  were  charms, 
and  were  so  frightened  that  they  concluded  to  let  the  white  men 
alone.  The  Pilgrims,  however,  expecting  an  attack,  put  up  a  row 
of  stakes,  or  palisades,  as  they  were  called,  around  their  settlement. 

8.  For  some  time  the  Puritans  continued  to  suffer,  especially 
from  hunger.    They  could  not  raise  enough  to  support  them.    There 
were  fish  in  the  bay,  but  they  had  no  boats  or  nets  with  which  to 
take  them.     Even  two  years  after  their  arrival,  they  often  went  to 
bed  at  night  without  a  bit  of  food  for  the  morning.     If  a  few  of  their 

O  O 

old  friends  joined  them,  a  lobster  or  a  piece  of  fish,  without  any 
bread  or  anything  else  but  a  cup  of  water,  was  all  they  had  to 
offer  them. 

9.  But  in  three  or  four  years  things  were  better.     Each  settler 
had  his  own  tract  of  land.     They  worked  hard,  and  corn  was  raised 
in  abundance.     More  of  their  own  faith  came  over  from  England. 
In  1630,  their  number  had  increased  to  three  hundred.     From  this 
time  the  colony  flourished. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  kind  of  a  winter  did  the  Puritans  pass?  What  was  the  state 
of  things  in  April? — 2.  What  signs  did  the  country  around  Plymouth  show?  What  was 
seen  several  times  in  the  winter?  Give  an  account  of  Samoset's  visit. — 3.  What  did 
Samoset  tell  the  white  men  ? — 4.  What  story  is  related  about  this  pestilence  ? — 5.  How 
did  the  Pilgrims  treat  Samoset  ?  Who  soon  after  visited  them  ?  What  did  they  present 
to  Massasoit  ?  What  did  they  give  his  brother  ?  What  was  the  consequence  ? — 6.  What 
service  did  two  of  the  Puritans  afterwards  render  to  Massasoit  ? — 7.  What  warlike  mes 
sage  did  the  Puritans  receive  ?  How  did  they  answer  it  ?  What  was  the  result  ?  What 
precaution  did  the  Pilgrims  take  ?— 8.  From  what  did  the  Puritans  suffer  at  first  ?  When 
their  friends  joined  them,  what  did  they  have  to  offer  them  ? — 9.  In  three  or  four  years, 
what  was  the  state  of  the  colony  ?  How  many  Puritans  did  it  contain  in  1630  ? 


1630] 


MASSACHUSETTS  BAY  COLONY. 


LESSON  XIV. 

OTHEE  NEW  ENGLAND  COLONIES. 

1.  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY. — In  1630,  a  large  company  of  English 
Puritans,  having  obtained  a  grant  of  land  on  Massachusetts  Bay, 
north  of  Plymouth,  came   out  and 

founded  Cambridge,  Boston,  and 
other  places.  They  formed  what 
was  called  the  Massachusetts  Bay 
Colony.  Though  these  settlers,  like 
the  rest,  suffered  much  at  first  from 
cold  and  hunger,  they  soon  began 
to  prosper.  Mills  were  built,  and 
trade  commenced  with  the  other 
colonies.  Boston  is  now,  you  re 
member,  the  capital  of  Massachu 
setts,  and  the  largest  city  in  New 
England.  Here  is  a  map  of  the 
eastern  part  of  Massachusetts.  See 
if  you  can  find  Cape  Cod — Plymouth — Boston — Salem. 

2.  RHODE  ISLAND. — The  people  of  Salem  had  a  young  preacher 
named  Roger  Williams.     His  belief  was  somewhat  different  from 
that  of  the  other  Puritan  ministers  ;  but  he  claimed  that  he  had  a 
right  to  worship  in  his  own  way,  and  preach  what  he  thought  was 
the  Bible  truth.     This,  however,  the  people  of  Massachusetts  Bay 
would  not  tolerate ;  and  so  they  determined  to  send  him  back  to 
England. 

3.  Hearing  of  their  intentions,  Roger  "Williams  fled  from  Salem 
into  the  wilderness.    He  resolved  to  find  some  place  where  he  could 


NEW  ENGLAND   COLONIES. 


[1636 


enjoy  that  freedom  which  the  Puritans  denied  him.  More  than 
three  months  he  wandered  amid  snow  and  rain,  without  either 
bread  or  bed.  At  last  he  reached  some  Indian  wigwams,  where  he 
w-as  kindly  received.  He  bought  of  the  Indians  a  tract  on  Narra- 
gansett  Bay,  and  commenced  a  settlement.  Grateful  for  God's 
mercy,  he  called  this  place  Providence.  Turn  to  the  map  on  page 
47,  and  point  out  Providence,  the  first  settlement  in  Rhode  Island. 

4.  There  is  a  beautiful  island  in  Narragansett  Bay,  which  the 

Indians  called  the  Isle  of  Peace.  Soon 
after  Providence  was  founded,  another 
party  that  had  difficulties  with  the 
Puritans  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  bought 
this  island  of  the  Indians,  and  settled 
on  it.  They  called  it  the  Isle  of 
Rhodes.  Near  its  southern  shore  was 
a  curious  old  tower,  shown  in  the  en 
graving.  No  one  could  tell  who  built 
it.  Near  this  tower  the  city  of  New 
port  was  founded. 

5.  NEW  HAMPSHIKE. — Settlements  were  made  in  what  is  now 
the  state  of  New  Hampshire,  as  early  as  1623.     A  number  of  tra 
ding  and  fishing  posts  were  afterwards  established  there.    These  set 


tlements,  at  their  own  request,  were  received  into  the  Massachusetts. 
Bay  Colony.  But,  after  about  forty  years,  they  were  formed  into  a 
separate  province  by  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  under  the  name  of 
New  Hampshire. 

6.  CONNECTICUT. — The  Connecticut  (or  Long  River,  as  the  name 
means  in  the  Indian  language)  was  discovered  by  the  Dutch  of 
New  Amsterdam.  They  built  a  fort  where  Hartford  now  stands, 
and  opened  a  profitable  trade  witli  the  Indians.  But  after  a  time 


1633]  ^  SETTLEMENT  OF  CONNECTICUT.  49 

the  people  of  Plymouth  and  Massachusetts  Bay  heard  of  this  long 
river,  whose  waters  were  filled  with  fish,  and  whose  banks  abounc}- 
ed  in  beaver  and  otter.  One  day  in  the  year  1633,  the  traders  at 
the  Dutch  fort  were  surprised  to  see  a  little  vessel  come  sailing  up 
the  river.  They  wanted  to  keep  this  pleasant  country  to  them 
selves.  So,  loading  a  cannon,  they  hailed  the  vessel,  and  told  the 
captain  to  stop,  or  they  would  fire  on  him. 

7.  The  little  vessel  belonged  to  John  Holmes.     He  had  come 
from  Plymouth  to  settle  in  the  valley  of  the  Connecticut,  and 
brought  with  him  the  frame  of  a  house  to  put  up  where  he  should 
land.     He  was  not  afraid  of  the  Dutch  or  their  cannon.     So,  since 
the  wind  was  fair,  he  took  no  notice  of  their  threats,  but  kept  on 
his  way.     He  passed  the  fort  in  safety,  and  settled  a  few  miles 
higher  up,  at  a  place  now  called  Windsor. 

8.  It  did  not  take  long  for  reports  concerning  the  fair  valley  of 
the  Connecticut  to  reach  England.     A  great  lord  obtained  a  grant 
of  it,  and  a  party  of  settlers  was  sent  over.    They  built  a  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  called  it  Saybrook. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  "When  and  by  whom  was  the  Massachusetts  Bay  colony  established? 
What  places  were  founded?  "What  has  Boston  since  become  ? — 2.  Who  was  the  founder 
of  Rhode  Island  ?  Where  was  Roger  Williams  settled  ?  Why  did  the  people  of  Massa 
chusetts  Bay  want  to  send  him  back  to  England? — 3.  How  did  Roger  Williams  escape 
being  sent  back  to  England?  What  did  he  resolve  to  do  ?  Give  an  account  of  his  wan 
derings.  Where  and  how  did  he  obtain  some  land  ?  What  did  he  call  his  settlement  ? 
— 4.  What  other  settlement  was  soon  after  made  ?  What  was  found  on  the  Isle  of 
Rhodes  ?  What  city  was  founded  near  this  tower  ? — 5.  When  was  New  Hampshire  first 
settled?  With  what  colony  were  these  settlements  first  united?  After  forty  years 
what  was  done  with  them  ? — 6.  What  does  the  word  Connecticut  mean  ?  By  whom  was 
the  Connecticut  River  discovered  ?  Where  did  the  Dutch  build  a  fort  ?  Who  heard  of 
this  pleasant  river?  What  were  the  Dutch  surprised  to  see  one  day?  What  did  they 
do  ? — 7.  To  whom  did  the  vessel  belong  ?  Where  was  it  from  ?  What  did  Holmes  do  ? 
Where  did  he  settle  ? — 8.  Where  and  by  whom  was  Saybrook  founded  ? 
4 


CONNECTICUT. 


[1635 


LESSOX  XV. 


CONNECTICUT.— THE  PEQUOD  WAE. 

1.  Connecticut,  as  we  learned  in  the  last  lesson,  was  first  perma 
nently  settled  at  Windsor,  by  John  Holmes.  Two  years  afterwards, 
a  party  from  Massachusetts  Bay  determined  to  settle  there.  They 
went  over  land,  driving  their  cattle  before  them,  through  woods 
that  neither  cattle  nor  white  men  had  ever  before  traversed.  But 
they  started  too  late.  The  river  was  frozen  before  they  arrived. 
Their  cattle  perished,  and  they  suffered  much  through  the  winter 
from  want  of  food. 


— 

Puritans  emigrating  from  Massachusetts  to  Connecticut. 


1636]  THE  PEQUOD   WAR.  51 

2.  The  next  summer,  another  party  of  about  one  hundred  men, 
women,  and  children,  set  out  from  Boston  for  the  valley  of  the  Con 
necticut.     They  lived  mostly  on  the  milk  of  their  cows,  Which  they 
took  with  them.     Moving  slowly  along,  they  were  nearly  a  fort 
night  in  completing  a  journey  which  can  now  be  made  by  railroad 
in  three  or  four  hours.     They  arrived  safe,  and  founded  Hartford 
and  AVethersfield. 

3.  Connecticut  was  inhabited  by  many  powerful  tribes  of  In 
dians.     Among  these  were  the  Pequods,  who  lived  in  wThat  is  now 
the  south-eastern  part  of  the  state,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Thames 
\tamez\  River.   "When  the  Pequods  saw  the  white  men  spreading 
over  their  pleasant  hunting-grounds,  they  were  filled  with  jealousy 
and  alarm  ;  and  the  whites,  seeing  how  the  Indians  felt,  distrusted 
them  in  turn.     Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  peace  between  the 
whites  and  Indians  ;  but  this  suspicion  soon  produced  war. 

4.  One  day,  a  trader,  sailing  off  the  coast,  saw  a  boat  which  he 
knew  belonged  to  one  of  the  settlers  named  Oldhain.    It  was  full  of 
Indians,  and  he  suspected  there  was  something  wrong.    So,  although 
he  had  only  two  boys  with  him,  he  made  for  the  boat.     The  Indians 
were  frightened  when  they  saw  him,  and  as  he  approached  they 
jumped  over  into  the  water.     The  trader  went  on  board,  and  under 
a  fishing-net  he  found  Oldham's  body,  all  mangled  and  bleeding. 

5.  The  people  of  New  England  determined  to  punish  the  mur 
derers.     A  body  of  men  started  for  the  Pequod  villages.     The  In 
dians  had  fled,  but  there  were  their  wigwams  and  corn-fields.     Set 
ting  fire  to  these,  the  settlers  laid  waste  the  country  far  and  wide. 
This  roused  the  Pequods  to  a  bloody  revenge.     Dividing  into  small 
parties,  they  surrounded  solitary  houses,  cut  off  travellers,  shot  down 
the  men  as  they  worked  in  the  fields,  and  scalped  women  and  chil 
dren  at  their  own  firesides.     They  spared  none. 


52  THE   PEQUOD   WAR.  [1636 

6.  Resolving  to  cut  off  all  the  English  settlers,  the  Pequods 
tried  to  get  another  tribe,  the  Nar-ra-gan'-setts,  to  join  them.    "When 
the  people  of  Boston  heard  of  this,  they  were  greatly  frightened. 
Knowing  that  Roger  Williams,  whom  they  had  driven  out  shortly 
before,  was  much  beloved  by  the  Narragansetts,  they  sent  to  him, 
begging  that  he  would  dissuade  his  friends  from  joining  the  Pe 
quods.     This  good  man,  on  receiving  their  message,  set  out  alone 
in  his  canoe,  in  a  violent  storm,  for  the  Narragansett  village.     He 
found  the  Pequod  chiefs  already  there  ;  but  he  pleaded  so  earnestly, 
that,  after  wavering  several  days,  the  ISTarragansetts  refused  to  join 
the  Pequods,  and  declared  themselves  friends  of  the  English. 

7.  The  settlers  now  sent  a  body  of  men  against  the  Pequods. 
Reaching  one  of  their  forts  just  before  sun-rise,  they  surprised  its 
inmates,  and  set  fire  to  their  wigwams.     They  then  formed  a  ring 
around  the  wigwams,  and,  as  the  flames  drove  the  Indians  out,  shot 
them  down  without  mercy.     Six  hundred  Pequods  perished  in  an 
hour.     The  next  morning,  the  rest  of  the  tribe,  who  had  been  at 
another  fort,  came  in  sight  and  renewed  the  battle.     They  fought 
bravely,  but  were  defeated  by  the  English.     The  few  that  survived 
were  pursued  from  place  to   place,  and  the  whole  tribe  was  de 
stroyed. 

8.  In  1638,  the  year  after  the  Pequod  War,  New  Haven  was 
founded,  as  a  distinct  colony,  by  a  company  of  Puritans  from  Eng 
land.     The  new  colonists  adopted  the  Bible  as  their  only  rule  of 
public  action. 

9.  The  New  England  colonies  grew  and  flourished.     In  1643, 
they  contained  over  fifty  villages.     Threatened  at  this  time  by  the 
Indians,  and  also  by  the  Dutch  and  French,  they  thought  it  best  to 
combine  for  their  mutual  protection  in  case  of  war.     Accordingly, 
Plvmouth,  Massachusetts  -bay,  Connecticut,  and  New  Haven,  form- 


1613]  MARYLAND.  53 


ed  an  alliance  under  the  name  of  "  The  United  Colonies  of 
England  ".    This  league  lasted  forty  years,  and  was  of  great  benefit 
to  all. 

QUESTIONS.  —  1.  "When  and  by  -whom  was  Connecticut  first  permanently  settled  ?  Two 
years  afterwards,  who  went  there  ?  What  befell  this  party  from  Massachusetts  Bay  ?  — 
2.  What  took  place  the  next  summer?  On  what  did  the  emigrants  live?  How  long  did 
it  take  them  to  make  the  journey  ?  What  places  did  they  found  ?  —  3.  By  whom  was  the 
greater  part  of  Connecticut  inhabited?  Where  did  the  Pequods  live?  What  excited 
their  jealousy  ?  What  was  the  consequence?  —  4.  How  was  the  murder  of  Oldham  dis 
covered  ?  —  5.  How  did  the  people  of  New  England  punish  the  murderers  ?  What  was 
the  consequence  ?  —  6.  Whom  did  the  Pequods  try  to  rouse  against  the  English  settlers  ? 
How  did  the  English  prevent  them  from  succeeding?  —  7.  What  measures  were  next 
taken  by  the  settlers  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  battle  with  the  Pequods.  What  took 
place  the  next  morning?  What  became  of  the  few  that  survived  ?  —  8.  WLen  was  New 
Haven  founded  ?  By  whom  ?  What  did  the  settlers  of  New  Haven  adopt  as  their  rule 
of  public  action  ?  —  9.  Tn  1643,  how  many  villages  did  the  New  England  colonies  contain? 
What  alliance  was  formed  in  this  year  ?  How  long  did  this  league  last  ? 


\(r 
LESSON  XVI. 

MARYLAND.— DELAWARE.— NEW  JERSEY. 

1.  MARYLAND. — The  next  colony  founded  was  Maryland.     The 
region  now  so  called  was  granted  by  the  King  of  England  to  George 
Calvert,  Lord  Baltimore.     Calvert  desired  to  establish   a   colony 
where  all  might  enjoy  civil  and  religious  freedom.     His   charter 
provided  that  the  English  government  should  not  tax  the  colony 
or  interfere  with  its  affairs.     The  tract  thus  granted  was  called  Ma 
ryland  in  honor  of  Henrietta  Maria,  the  Queen  of  England. 

2.  Lord  Baltimore  died  before  he  could  plant  his  colony ;  but 
his  son,  Ce-cil  Calvert,  succeeded  to  the  grant.     In  1634,  he  sent 
over  from  England  two  hundred  emigrants.     They  sailed  up  the 
Potomac  Eiver,  which  separates  Maryland  from  Virginia,  bought 


54  DELAWARE.  [1634 

some  land  from  the  natives,  and  built  a  little  village.  They  gave 
the  Indians  knives,  hoes,  and  axes  ;  and  the  Indian  women  in  return 
taught  them  how  to  make  corn-hread  and  johnny-cake. 

3.  The  settlers  of  Maryland  did  not  suffer,  like  those  who  found 
ed  the  other  colonies.    They  arrived  at  a  favorable  season,  and  were 
helped  by  the  people  of  Virginia.     They  were  free  and  happy,  and 
numbers  joined  them  from  England.    Their  only  trouble  was  caused 
by  a  man  named  Clayborne,  who,  before  their  arrival,  had  estab 
lished  a  trading-post  within  their  boundaries.     He  stirred  up  seve 
ral  rebellions,  but  was  at  last  put  down.     Baltimore,  now  the  larg 
est  city  in  Maryland,  was  named  after  the  founder  of  this  colony. 

4.  DELAWARE.* — Delaware  was   next  founded,  in    1638,  by   a 
company  of  Swedes  and  Finns.     The  Swedes  are  the  inhabitants  of 
Sweden,  and  the  Finns  of  Finland,' — two  countries  in  the  north  of 
Europe.     Though  these  nations  had  made  no  discoveries  in  the  new 
world,  they  wanted  to  have  a  colony  there,  and  fitted  out  a  party 
of  emigrants.     Landing  on  the  shore  of  Delaware  Bay,  the  Swedes 
bought  a  tract  from  the  Indians,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  New  Swe 
den.     They  erected  several  forts,  and  were  soon  joined  by  more  of 
their  countrymen. 

5.  Several  years  before  the  Swedes  arrived,  a  party  of  Dutch 
from  New  Netherlands  had  settled  in  this  region.     They  had  been 
cut  off  by  the  Indians ;  yet  now,  when  the  Dutch  saw  strangers 
taking  possession,  they  claimed   the   country  on  the  ground  that 
they  had  been  the  first  to  occupy  it.    *A  quarrel  thus  arose,  which 
resulted  (in  1655)  in  the  conquest  of  New  Sweden  by  the  Dutch. 
The  name  was  afterwards  changed  to  Delaware. 

6.  The  Dutch  of  New  Netherlands  had  gone  on  trading  and 
prospering,  though  for  a  time  they  suffered  much  from  a  war  with 
the  Indjans,  provoked  by  the  cruelty  of  one  of  their  governors. 


1647]  CONQUEST   OF  NEW  NETHERLANDS.  55 

Soon  after  this,  Stuyvesant  \_sti' -vc-sant~\,  a  gallant  old  soldier  who 
had  lost  a  leg  in  the  wars,  became  governor.  It  was  under  him 
that  New  Sweden  wras  conquered. 

7.  While  Stuyvesant  was  governor,  the  lung  of  England  grant 
ed  the  whole  tract  occupied  by  the  Dutch  to  his  brother,  the  Duke 
of  York.     Of  course  it  wTas  not  his  to  grant,  but  he  did  not  mind 
that.     A  powerful  fleet  was  sent  out  to  take  possession.     When  the 
English  arrived  off  New  Amsterdam,  they  summoned  Stuyvesant  to 
surrender.     But  he  boldly  tore  their  letter  to  pieces,  and,  taking  his 
station  on  the  battery,  prepared  to  fire  on  them  as  they  approached. 

8.  Upon  this,  the  people  of  New  Amsterdam  told  Stuyvesant 
that  if  he  fought  the  English  he  would  have  to  do  it  alone.     He 
had  kept  them  down  too  much*    So  now  they  thought  they  would 
be  just  as  well  off  under  the  English  as  they  had  ever  been,  and 
they  refused  to  stand  by  their  old  governor.     Brave  as  Nhe  was, 
therefore,  he  had  to  surrender.     All  the  Dutch  possessions,  inclu 
ding  what  had  been  New  Sweden,  thus  passed  without  the  firing  of 
a  shot  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 

9.  This  took  place  in  166-i.     The  English  were  now  masters  of 
the  whole  Atlantic  coast  from  Maine  to  Florida.     In  honor  of  the 
Duke  of  York,  both  the  settlement  of  New  Amsterdam  and  the 
whole  colony  of  New  Netherlands,  after  their  conquest  by  the  Eng 
lish,  were  called  NEW  YOKK. 

10.  NEW  JERSEY. — We  have  already  seen  that  some  of  the  Dutch 
traders  had  spread  out  west  of  the  Hudson,  and  founded  several 
villages.     When  the  Duke  of  York  gained  possession  of  his  grant, 
he  gave  this  part  of  it  to  two  of  his  friends,  who  called  it  New  Jer 
sey.     They  promised  an  unusual   degree  of  freedom  to  all  who 
would  settle  there,  and  the  consequence  was  that  New  Jersey  be 
came  rapidly  peopled. 


56  KING  PHILIP'S  WAR.  [16T5 


QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  was  the  next  colony  founded?  To  whom  was  the  region  now 
called  Maryland  granted  ?  What  did  Calvert  desire  ?  What  did  his  charter  provide ? 
Why  was  this  tract  called  Maryland? — 2.  By  whom  was  a  colony  planted  in  Maryland? 
When  ?  Where  did  they  build  a  village?  What  did  they  give  the  Indians?  What  did 
the  Indian  women  terch  them  ? — 3.  What  is  said  of  the  settlers  of  Maryland  ?  By  whom 
was  their  only  trouble  caused  ?  What  is  the  largest  city  in  Maryland  ?  After  whom  was 
it  named  ? — 4.  When  was  Delaware  founded  ?  By  whom  ?  Who  are  the  Swedes  ?  The 
Finns  ?  Where  did  they  land  ?  How  did  they  obtain  a  tract  ?  What  did  they  call  it  ? 
What  did  they  erect? — 5.  Who  disputed  the  right  of  the  Swedes  to  this  region?  On 
what  ground?  What  was  the  result?  To  what  was  the  name  of  New  Sweden  changed? 
— 6.  From  what  did  the  Dutch  of  New  Netherlands  suffer  for  a  time?  Under  whom  was 
New  Sweden  conquered  ? — 7.  While  Stuyvesant  was  governor,  what  grant  was  made  by 
the  King  of  England  ?  What  was  the  consequence  ?  When  the  English  fleet  arrived, 
what  did  Stuyvesant  do? — 8.  How  did  the  people  of  New  Amsterdam  feel  on  the  subject? 
Why  was  this  ?  What  followed? — 9.  When  did  the  English  make  this  conquest?  What 
now  belonged  to  them  ?  To  what  did  they  change  the  names  of  New  Amsterdam  and 
New  Netherlands  ? — 10.  What  was  the  origin  of  New  Jersey  ?  What  caused  it  to  become 
rapidly  peopled? 


LESSON  XVII. 

KING   PHILIP'S  WAE. 

1.  For  some  years  after  the  Pequod  "War,  the  New  England 
colonies  had  no  trouble  with  the  Indians.    But  in  16 To  King  Philip's 
"War  broke  out,  which  at  first  threatened  to  sweep  off  every  white 
settler  in  Massachusetts.     Philip  was  the  son  of  Massasoit,  who 
h'ad  been  the  friend  of  the  English.     He  was  the  chief  of  the  Wam- 
pa-no'-ags,  who  lived  in  what  is  now  the  state  of  Rhode  Island, 
east  of  Narragansett  Bay.     Find  their  country  on  the  map  on  page 
47.     The  Narragansetts,  you  will  see,  lived  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  bay. 

2.  The  whites  had  now  spread  out  very  much.     The  Indians, 
seeing  what  had  once  been  their  hunting-grounds  covered  with 


16T5]  KING  PHILIP'S  WAR.  57 

thriving  villages,  feared  that  they  would  be  driven  out  altogether 
from  the  land  of  their  fathers.  So  they  prepared  to  defend  them 
selves  ;  and,  when  a  friendly  Indian  revealed  their  plans  to  the  peo 
ple  of  Plymouth,  they  murdered  him.  Three  of  the  Wampanoags 
were  tried  for  this  crime  by  the  Puritans,  found  guilty,  and 
hanged. 

3.  Philip  knew  the  power  of  the  English,  and  had  tried  to  avoid 
war  ;  but  he  could  now  restrain  his  folloAvers  no  longer.     Dividing 
into  parties  .of  twenty  or  thirty,  they  fell  upon  the  frontier  villages 
and  farm-houses  of  Massachusetts,  burned  them   to   the  ground, 
killed  their  occupants,  and  were  off  to  the  forest  before  any  aid 
could  arrive.     Lying  in  ambush  for  the  parties  sent   out  against 
them,  they  cut  off  the  flower  of  the  settlements,  and  spread  terror 
everywhere. 

4.  A  few  days  after  the  war  commenced,  Captain  Church  with 
thirty-six  men  was  attacked  on  the  sea-shore  by  three  hundred  In 
dians.     They  took   their  posts  behind  some  rocks,  and   defended 
themselves  for  six  hours.     At  last,  as  night  was  setting  in,  their 
ammunition  gave  out.     It  would  have  fared  badly  with  the  bold 
Puritans,  if  a  sloop  had  not  just  at  this  time  come  up  and,  taken 
them  off.     Captain  Church  escaped,  though  a  bullet  passed  through 
his  hair. 

.  5.  Meanwhile  Philip,  who  threw  himself  into  the  war  with  all 
his  powers,  had  gone  among  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  persuaded 
them  to  join  him.  In  a  few  months  he  found  himself  at  the  head 
of  three  thousand  men.  With  these,  when  cold  weather  set  in,  he 
repaired  to  a  large  swamp  in  the  country  of  his  allies,  the  Narra- 
gan setts,  and,  building  a  fort,  prepared  to  winter  there.  Now  was 
the  time  for  the  English.  A  thousand  men  were  sent  in  December 
against  King  Philip.  They  found  the  Indian  fort  on  an  island  in 


KING  PHILIP'S  WAR. 


[16T5 


the  swamp.     The  only  way  to  reach  it  was  by  crossing  a  tree  which 
at  one  point  had  been  thrown  across  the  deep  stagnant  water. 

6.  Several  times  the  English  tried  to  get  across,  but  were  driven 
back  with  loss.     At  last  they  succeeded  in  entering  the  fort.     It 


Puritans  attacking  King  Philip's  Fort. 

contained  five  hundred  wigwams,  which  were  soon  in  flames.  The 
Indians,  though  they  fought  bravely,  were  totally  defeated.  Num 
bers  of  them  were  killed  ;  but  Philip  and  Ca-non'-chet,  the  Narra- 
gansett  chief,  got  away  in  safety.  Hard  indeed  was  the  lot  of  those 
who  escaped.  Without  shelter  and  almost  without  food,  they  were 
exposed  to  the  fierce  storms  of  a  severe  winter. 

7.  Three  or  four  months  after  "  the  Swamp  Fight ",  Canonchet 
was  captured.  Still  he  was  as  proud  as  ever.  When  a  young  sol 
dier  asked  him  some  questions,  he  replied,  "  Child,  you  do  not  un 
derstand  war.  Let  your  chief  come ;  I  will  answer  him."  They 


16TG]  FALL   OF  KING  PHILIP.  59 

offered  him  his  life,  if  he  would  persuade  the  Indians  to  make  peace ; 
but  he  refused  with  scorn.  He  was  then  sentenced  to  be  shot. 

8.  Philip,  meanwhile,  rested  not,  burning  towns,  and  torturing 
his   prisoners.     His   men,  however,  suffered   much   from   hunger, 
sometimes  having  nothing  to  eat  but  the  clams  on  the  sea-shore, 

O  O  ' 

which  they  had  to  go  miles  to  obtain.  Many  of  them  now  fell  off, 
and  others  were  killed  or  captured  by  Captain  Church,  who  had 
taken  the  field.  Among  those  taken  were  the  wife  and  son  of  Philip. 
This  broke  Philip's  heart.  Deserted  by  all  but  a  few  faithful  fol 
lowers,  hunted  down  by  the  English,  he  could  only  die  like  an  In 
dian  warrior. 

9.  With  his  few  remaining  men,  Philip  now  took  refuge  in  a 
swamp  near  the  head  of  Karragansett  Bay.     Here  Captain  Church 
surrounded  him.     A  party   of  English,  penetrating   the   swamp, 
reached  the  Indian  camp  at  sunrise.      In  trying  to  escape,  Philip 
approached  a  tree  behind  which  an  Englishman  and  an  Indian  de 
serter  were  stationed.     The  Englishman  aimed  at  him,  but  the  dew 
had  wet  his  powder,  and  his  gun  missed  fire.     The  Indian  deserter 
then  shot  his  former  chief  through  the  heart. 

10.  Thus  perished  this  great  chief,  and  with  his  fall  the  war 
ceased.     Six  hundred  of  the  best  men  of  "New  England  had  been 
slain  ;  six  hundred  houses  had  been  burned  by  the  savages.     The  In 
dians  had  suffered  still  more.     Two  whole  tribes  were  destroyed. 
For  some  years  after  this,  iNew  England  enjoyed  peace. 

QUESTIONS.— 1.  What  war  broke  out  in  1675  ?  Who  was  Philip?  Of  what  tribe  was 
he  chief?  Where  did  the  Wampanoags  live?  Where  did  the  Narragansetts  live?— 2. 
What  was  the  cause  of  King  Philip's  war? — 3.  How  was  the  war  commenced  by  the 
savages  ? — 4.  Give  an  account  of  Captain  Church's  encounter  with  the  Indians.— 5.  In  a 
few  months,  how  many  men  did  King  Philip  raise?  Where  did  he  get  them?  What 
did  he  do  when  cold  weather  set  in  ?  What  measures  were  now  taken  by  the  English  ? 
What  was  the  only  way  of  reaching  Philip's  fort  ? — 6.  Describe  the  swamp  fight.  How 


60  INDIAN  TROUBLES  IX  VIRGINIA.  [1618 

did  it  result?  Who  got  away  in  safety?  What  was  the  lot  of  those  who  escaped? — 
7.  What  became  of  Canonchet  ?  How  did  he  answer  a  young  soldier  who  asked  him  some 
questions  ? — 8.  Meanwhile,  what  was  Philip  engaged  in  doing  ?  From  what  did  his  men 
suffer?  What  became  of  many  of  them  ?  What  broke  Philip's  heart?  What  now  alone 
was  left  him? — 9.  Where  did  Philip  at  last  take  refuge?  By  whom  was  he  surrounded? 
Give  an  account  of  Philip's  death. — 10.  What  did  King  Philip's  war  cost  New  England? 
What  were  its  consequences  to  the  Indians  ?  After  this,  what  was  the  state  of  things  in 
New  England  ? 


LESSON  XVIII. 

VIRGINIA. -INDIAN  TROUBLES.— BACON'S  REBELLION. 

1.  We  must  now  return  to  Virginia.     When  Powliatan  died, 
his  brother  succeeded  him.     He  soon  became  an  enemy  to  the  Eng 
lish, — and  not  without  reason  ;  for  some  of  the  settlers  treated  the 
Indians  very  ill,  driving  them  from  their  own  wigwams  and  rob 
bing  them  of  their  corn.    The  Indians  resolved  on  vengeance.    They 
pretended  to  be  fonder  than  ever  of  the  English,  and  brought  them 
presents  of  game.     But  all  at  once,  pn  an  appointed  day,  they  fell 
on  every  settlement  in  the  colony  witfr  war-whoop  and  tomahawk. 

2.  The  night  before,  a  friendly  Indian  had  disclosed  the  plot  to 
the  people  of  Jamestowrn,  and  here  the  savages  were  driven  back  ; 
but  everywhere  else  they  were  successful.     The  settlers  were  taken 
off  their  guard ;  their  houses  and  barns  were  burned.     A  bloody 
war  thus  arose.     No  one  could  iill  the  fields.    Food  became  scarce  ; 
and,  though  the  Indians  were  at  last  put  down,  it  was  long  before 
the  colony  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  massacre. 

3.  In  1644,  the  same  crafty  chief,  the  brother  of  Powliatan,  got 
up  another  plot  among  his  people  for  murdering  the  Virginians. 
He  was  now  over  a  hundred  years  old,  but  as  cunning  as  ever.    He 
laid  his  plans  so  well  that  the  settlers  were  surprised,  and  several 


1644]  BACON'S  REBELLION.  61 

hundred  killed.  A  party,  however,  was  sent  out  against  the  In 
dians,  and  the  old  chief  himself  was  captured.  He  was  brought  a 
prisoner  to  Jamestown,  and  there  cruelly  shot  by  the  sentinel  who 
was  guarding  him.  K 

4.  At  this  time,  Berkeley  was  governor  of  Virginia.    At  first  he 
was  much  liked ;  but,  when  the  people  found  that  he  kept  them 
down  and  taxed  then^  to  enrich  himself,  they  turned  against  him. 
One  of  the  chief  thin^  wtljiey  complained  of  wTas  that  he  would  not 
take  measures  to  prote\follotem  from  the  natives.     lie  made  money 
by  selling  licenses  tr?  '\°^ ^taiTl?1  ^e  In(^ans?  an(^  was  unwilling  to 
provoke  a  war,  foivjjL  thirty  vea^nterfere  with  his  profits. 

5.  About  thirty  years  after  the  fall  of  Powhatan's  brother,  as 
related  above,  the  Indians  again  became  troublesome.     Again  they 
had  been  provoked  by  cruelty  on  the  part  of  the  whites.     In  vain 
the  people  begged  Governor  Berkeley  to  send  out  a  force  to  protect 
the  frontier.     There  was  at  this  time  in  the  colony  a  brave  and  tal 
ented  young  man  named  IJacon,  who  had  lately  come  over  from 
England.     Urged  by  hisf  friends,  and  hearing  of  several  murders 
committed  by  the  Indians  _ori  his  own  plantation,  he  raised  a  body 
of  men,  pursued  the  savages,  and  defeated  them. 

6.  Bacon  did  this  without  the  governor's  permission,  and  Berke 
ley,  choosing  to  regard  the  act  as  treason,  raised  a  force  and  march 
ed  against  him.     A  great  part  of^the  year  1676  was  spent  in  a 
struggle  between  Bacon  and  the  governor.     At  last  Bacon  obtained 
a  decided  advantage.     Berkeley  was  driven  from  Jamestown  ;  and, 
to  prevent  it  from  falling  again  into  his  hands,  it  was  burned  to  the 
ground.    In  the  engraving  you  see  some  of  the  patriots  setting  fire 
to  their  own  houses. 

7.  In  the  midst  of  his  success,  Bacon  died.     Berkeley  at  once 
resumed  the  chief  power.     Those  who  had  taken  part  in  "  Bacon's 


62 


BAQON'S  REBELLION. 


[1676 


Rebellion  ",  as  it  was  called,  were  persecuted  without  mercy.    Over 
twenty  persons  were  put  to  death.     The  people  were   oppressed 


p. iled  for  Eng- 


more  than  eur,  k;i«l  rejoiced  whes  at  last  tl.-v 

land.     There  ho  was  treated  with  the  c    ;,ju<  ;i  he  deserved,  and  he 

soon  died  of  most ificat       . 

8.  The  people  of  Virginia  did  not  gain  much  by  a  change  of 
governors.     For  some  years  they  were  ruled  by  men  who  tried  to 
extort  fronv  them  all  they  could.     They  struggled  bravely  for  their 
rights,  but  for  a  time  without  success. 

9.  Jamestown  was  never  rebuilt.     There  were,  at  this  time,  no 
other  towns  in  Virginia ;  for  the  colony  was  divided   into   large 
plantations,  on  which  corn  and  tobacco  were  raised.    Journeys  were 
made  in  boats  or  on  horseback.     The  roads  were  mere  bridle-paths 
through  the  forests.     "When  the  traveller  came  to  a  stream,  he  had 


1653]  NORTH   CAROLINA.  63 

to  swim  his  liorse  over  it,  for  there  were  neither  ferries  nor  bridges. 
The  houses  were  mostly  of  logs,  and  one  story  high.  The  windows 
were  closed  with  shutters,  for  want  of  glass.  There  were  no  news 
papers,  and  few  if  any  schools.  How  things  have  changed  within 
two  hundred  years  ! 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  By  whom  was  Powhatan  succeeded  in  Virginia?  What  made  Pow- 
hatan's  brother  an  enemy  to  the  English  ?  On  what  did  the  Indians  resolve  ?  Give  an 
account  of  their  plot. — 2.  How  was  Jamestown  saved  ?  What  took  place  in  the  other 
settlements  in  Virginia?  What  followed  ? — 3.  What  took  place  in  1644?  .  What  became 
of  the  crafty  old  chief? — 4.  Who  was  governor  of  Virginia  at  this  time?  How  did  the 
people  feel  towards  Berkeley?  Why  was  he  unwilling  to  provoke  a  war  with  the  natives? 
— 5.  What  took  place  about  thirty  years  after  the  fall  of  Powhatan's  brother  ?  Who 
rose  up  in  defence  of  the  colony  ?  What  led  him  to  do  so  ? — 6.  How  did  Berkeley  re 
gard  this  proceeding  of  Bacon's  ?  What  did  he  do?  How  was  a  great  part  of  the  year 
1676  spent?  How  did  the  struggle  result?  What  does  the  engraving  represent? — 7. 
What  became  of  Bacon  ?  What  was  done  to  those  who  had  taken  part  in  Bacon's  rebel 
lion  ?  Where  did  Berkeley  finally  go  ?  Ho\v  was  he  treated  ? — 8.  What  kind  of  gov 
ernors  did  the  Virginians  have  for  some  years?  What  struggle  was  carried  on  ?— 9. 
Was  Jamestown  ever  rebuilt  ?  How  was  the  colony  divided  ?  Describe  the  state  of 
things  in  Virginia  two  hundred  years  ago. 


LESSOR  XIX. 

CAROLINA.— PENNSYLVANIA. 

1.  NORTH  CAROLINA. — In  1653,  some  planters  from  Yirginia,  in 
vited  by  the  fine  soil  and  pleasant  climate,  moved  towards  the 
south,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  North  Carolina.  Ten  years  after 
wards,  the  King  of  England  granted  the  country  from  Yir 
ginia  to  Florida  to  several  of  his  favorites.  They  drew  up  a  plan 
for  a  great  empire.  A  few  lords  were  to  have  all  the  power,  while 
the  people  were  to  do  the  work.  This  did  not  suit  the  free  and 


04  SOUTH   CAROLINA.  [I6TO 

hardy  settlers.     They  insisted  on  their  rights,  and  the  great  lords 
had  to  yield. 

2.  SOUTH  CAROLINA. — The  first   settlement  in   South  Carolina 
was  made  in' 1670,  by  emigrants  from  England.     In  1672,  Charles 
ton,  now  the  largest  city  in  the  state,  was  founded.     The  country 
was  so  delightful  that  emigrants  were  attracted  to  it  in  great  num 
bers  from  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  France.     The  plan  that  had  been 
drawn  up  for  exalting  a  few  lords  at  the  expense  of  the  people, 
would  not  answer  here  any  more  than  in  North  Carolina,  and  was 
soon  laid  aside. 

3.  For  a  time  the  people  of  both  North  and  South  Carolina  had 
some  trouble  with  their  governors.     These  governors,  for  the  most 
part,  neither  knew  nor  cared  what  was  for  the  good  of  the  colonists, 
but  tried  to  extort  from  them  all  the  money  they  could.     The  peo 
ple,  however,  would  not  submit.     After  a  long  struggle,  they  suc 
ceeded  in  establishing  their  rights.     Both  colonies  were  then  happy 
and  prosperous. 

4:.  Rice  and  cotton  are  now  among  the  chief  productions  of 
South  Carolina.  Rice  came  from  some  seed  which  was  brought 
from  Madagascar,  an  island  on  the  coast  of  Africa.  Cotton  was 
raised  near  Jamestown,  soon  after  it  was  founded  ;  but  the  tobacco 
crop  was  found  more  profitable,  and  it  was  not  till  about  1700  that 
much  attention  was  paid  to  cotton. 

5.  PENNSYLVANIA. — The  Swedes  who  settled  Delaware  spread 
out  towards  the  north,  and  had  some  thriving  plantations  within 
the  limits  of  what  is  now  called  Pennsylvania.  They  were  con 
quered  by  the  Dutch,  you  remember  ;  and  the  Dutch  in  turn  yield 
ed  to  the  English.  After  remaining  for  a  time  under  the  govern 
ment  of  New  York,  the  region  west  of  the  Delaware  was  transferred 
to  William  Penn,  and  called  from  him  Pennsylvania. 


1681] 


WILLIAM  •  PENN. 


6.  "William  Penn  was  a  Quaker.     The  Quakers  were  a  pure, 
good  people, — but  in   some  things   peculiar.     They  wore   broad- 
brimmed  hats,  which  they  would  not  take  off  before  lord,  or  judge, 
or  even  the  King  himself.     They  called  no   man   Mister.     They 
would  not  address  the  King  as    Your  Majesty,  but  called  him 
Friend  Charles  or  Friend  James,  as  the  case  might  be.     They 
thought  war  was  wrong,  and  wished  to  live  in  peace  and  love  with 
all  men. 

7.  The  Quakers  were  cruelly  persecuted  in  England.     "William 
Penn  himself  had  been  thrown  into  prison,  and  suffered  much  on 
account  of  his  opinions.     He  thought  it  would  be  a  great  thing  to 
establish  a  colony  where  the  Quakers  could  be  free   and  happy. 
Now,  the  King  had  owed  his  father,  who  was  a  famous  admiral,  a 


Penn's  Treaty  with  the  Indians. 


6C>  SETTLEMENT  OF  PENNSYLVANIA.  [1682 

large  sum  of  money  ;  and  Penn,  in  payment  of  the  debt,  obtained 
a  grant  of  land  in  the  new  world,  as  mentioned  above. 

8.  Penn,  with  a  large  company  of  Quakers,  reached  the  shore 
of  America  in  1682.     The  next  year,  he  laid  out  on  the  Delaware 
the  fine  city  of  Philadelphia,  now  the  second  in  size  in  the  Union. 
Penn  treated  all  men  honestly.     He  bought  his  land  of  the  Swedes 
and  Indians.     Calling  the  Indians  together  under  a  great  elm,  he 
made  them  presents,  assured  them  of  his  love,  and  asked  their 
friendship  in  return.     The  Red  Men  met  him  kindly.     They  prom 
ised  to  live  in  peace  with  him  and  his  children  as  long  as  sun  and 
moon  should  endure. 

9.  The  Indians  kept  their  word.     For  seventy  years,  Pennsylva 
nia  had  no  trouble  with  the  natives.     The  people  enjoyed  a  free 
government,  and  numbers  flocked  there  from  other  parts  of  the  new 
world  and  from  Europe.     In  three  years  Philadelphia  grew  more 
than  New  York  had  done  in  fifty  years.     But  Penn  did  not  profit 
by  its  prosperity.     He  was  unjustly  deprived  of  his  rights  in  the 
colony,  and  died  in  poverty. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  When  and  by  whom  was  North  Carolina  first  settled?  Ten  years 
afterwards,  what  grant  was  made  ?  What  kind  of  a  plan  was  drawn  up  for  the  govern 
ment  of  Carolina  ?  How  did  the  settlers  like  this  ? — 2.  When  and  by  whom  was  South 
Carolina  first  settled  ?  When  was  Charleston  founded  ?  From  what  countries  were  emi 
grants  attracted  ?  How  did  the  plan  drawn  up  for  the  government  of  Carolina  succeed 
here  ? — 3.  What  difficulties  arose  with  the  governors  ?  How  did  they  result  ? — 4.  What 
are  among  the  chief  products  of  South  Carolina  ?  Where  did  rice  come  from  ?  What  is 
said  of  the  raising  of  cotton  ? — 5.  Give  the  early  history  of  the  first  settlements  in  what  is 
now  Pennsylvania.  To  whom  was  this  region  finally  transferred  ?  Whence  did  it  receive 
its  name? — 6.  What  was  William  Penn?  Describe  the  Quakers. — 7.  How  were  the 
Quakers  treated  in  England  ?  How  had  William  Penn  been  treated  ?  How  was  it  that 
he  obtained  a  grant  in  the  new  world? — 8.  When  did  Penn  and  his  Quakers  reach 
America?  What  did  he  do  the  next  year?  How  did  Penu  treat  all  men ?  Give  an  ac- 


1646]  INDIAN  MISSIONS.  67 

count  of  his  treaty  with  the  Indians. — 9.  How  long  was  Pennsylvania  free  from  troubles 
with  the  natives?  What  is  said  of  the  growth  of  Philadelphia?  What  became  of 
Penn? 


LESSOR  XX. 

INDIAN  MISSIONS.-FKENCH  EXPLOEEES. 

1.  The  Puritans  were  moral  and  industrious,  but   stern   and 
formal.     They  cropped  their  hair  close  to  their  heads,  and  were  op 
posed  to  wigs  and  veils.     They  thought  it  wicked  for  women  to 
wear  lace,  silk  hoods,  or  flowing  sleeves.     They  observed  the  Sab 
bath  strictly,  and  commenced  it  on  Saturday  evening.     They  liked 
very  long  prayers  and  sermons,  and  punished  those  who   stayed 
away  from  church. 

2.  The  Puritans  had  fled  from  England  to  escape  persecution. 
Yet,  when  they  got  the  power  in  the  new  world,  they  persecuted 
others.     The  colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  you  remember,  drove 
out  Roger  Williams.     They  treated  Quakers  still  worse,  fining  and 
whipping  such  as  were  found  within  the  limits  of  the  colony.     At 
last,  they  even  put  several  Quakers  to  death.     How  could  they 
think  that  such  cruelty  was  pleasing  to  God  ? 

3.  Towards  the  Indians  the  Puritans  showed  a  better  spirit. 
John  Eliot  and  other  good  men  went  among  them,  and  tried  to 
make  them  Christians.     Eliot  translated  the  Bible  into  their  lan 
guage,  and  opened  a  school  for  Indian  youth.     He  taught  the  wo 
men  to  spin,  and  the  men  to  dig.     His  kindness  won  their  hearts, 
and  many  of  the  natives  in  Eastern  Massachusetts  received  the 
truths  he  taught. 

4.  The  Puritans  were  not  alone  in  trying  to  convert  the  Indians. 
We  learned  that  the  French  at  an  early  date  explored  the  St.  Law- 


63  INDIAN  MISSIONS.  [1608 

rence  River.  In  1608,  they  founded  Quebec  on  its  left  bank.  The 
trade  in  furs  with  the  Indians  was  found  profitable,  and  various 
French  settlements  were  made  in  different  parts  of  what  is  now 
called  Canada.  "With  the  traders  came  out  a  number  of  Roman 
Catholic  priests  and  Jesuits,  who  travelled  far  out  in  the  north-west 
and  preached  to  the  Indians. 

5.  Several  little  forts  were  built  by  these  French  priests  in  what 
is  now  the  states  of  Michigan  and  Illinois.     It  was  then  of  course 
a  wilderness.     Torture  and  death  were  often  the  reward  of  the  de 
voted  missionaries.     Even  after  having  once  suffered  much  and  es 
caped,  they  would  go  back  to  preach  to  the  same  savages  that  had 
ill-treated  them. 

6.  This  was  the  case  with  Father  Jogues  \zlwg\.     The  Dutch 
redeemed  him  from  the  Mohawks  after  he  had  been  nearly  tortured 
to  death.     He  found  his  way  back  to  Canada ;  but  shortly  after, 
when  a  missionary  was  to  be  sent  to  these  same  Mohawks,  he  offer 
ed  himself  for  the  work,  and  went,  saying,  "  I  shall  never  return  ". 
His  words  were  fulfilled.     Soon  after  his  arrival,  the  savages  de 
clared  he  had  blighted  their  crop,  and  put  him  to  death. 

7.  Marquette   [mar-kef]    and   Joliet  \zhole-ya!'\,  two   devoted 
French  missionaries,  in  the  course  of  their  wanderings,  discovered 
the  upper  part  of  the  Mississippi,  as  De  Soto  had  the  lower  part 
more  than  a  hundred  years  before.    They  sailed  some  distance  down 
the  great  river..   The  Indians  along  its  banks  were  friendly,  and 
feasted  them  with  hominy  and  fish.     Marquette  afterwards  under 
took  another  expedition.  He  landed  to  say  his  prayers  on  the  bank  of 
a  stream,  in  Michigan,  and  died  there  while  engaged  in  his  devotions. 

8.  The  greatest  of  these  French  explorers  was  La  Salle  \lah  sal]. 
He  set  out  for  the  west  in  the  first  sail-boat  that  ever  crossed  Lake 
Ontario.     He  met  with  many  adventures,  built  forts,  traded  with 


1CT8]  LA  SALLE'S  EXPEDITION.  69 

the  Indians,  and  went  where  white  men  had  never  been  before.' 
Part  of  liis  company  discovered  the  Falls  of  Saint  Anthony  in  the 
Mississippi.  In  1682,  he  sailed  down  the  Mississippi  to  the  Gnlf 
of  Mexico,  and  called  the  country  Louisiana,  after  Louis  XIV.,  King 
of  France. 

9.  La  Salle  then  went  to  France,  to  obtain  the  means  of  found 
ing  a  colony  at  the  month  of  the  Mississippi.     He  was  intrusted 
with  several  ships,  and  a  large  amount  of  stores.     But  his  store- 
ship  was  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  what  is  now  called  Texas.     He 
could  not  find  the  mouth  of  the  great  river.     Leaving  some  of  his 
men  to  settle  in  Texas,  he  set  out  with  the  rest,  to  find  his  way 
across  the  continent  to  Canada. 

10.  La  Salle  had  not  gone  far  when  he  was  killed  by  one  of  his 
company.     The  murderer  himself  soon  after  perished,  and  few  of 
the  party  succeeded  in  reaching  Canada.     Though  La  Salle  failed 
to  plant  a  permanent  colony,  his  expedition  gave  the  French  King 
a  claim  to  the  whole  valley  of  the  Mississippi. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Describe  the  Puritans. — 2.  Why  had  the  Puritans  fled  from  England? 
How  did  they  act  when  they  got  the  power  in  the  new  world?  Whom  did  they  drive 
out  ?  How  did  they  treat  Quakers  ? — 3.  What  spirit  did  the  Puritans  display  towards 
the  Indians?  What  was  done  by  Eliot?  What  Success  did  Eliot  meet  with  ? — 4.  What 
other  people  sent  missionaries  among  the  Indians  ?  What  river  was  explored  by  the 
French  ?  What  city  was  founded  by  them  in  1608  ?  Where  were  various  French  settle 
ments  made  ?  Who  came  out  with  the  traders? — 5.  Where  were  several  little  forts  built 
by  the  French  ?  What  reward  did  the  missionaries  often  meet  with  ?  How  did  they 
show  their  devotion? — 6.  Tell  the  story  of  Father  Jogues. — 7.  By  whom  was  the  upper 
part  of  the  Mississippi  discovered  ?  Give  an  account  of  their  wanderings.  What  afterwards 
happened  (o  Marquettc  ? — 8.  Who  was  the  greatest  of  these  French  explorers?  Give  an 
account  of  La  Salle's  wanderings.  What  discovery  was  made  by  part  of  his  company  ? 
What  did  La  Salle  do  in  1632  ? — 9.  What  did  La  Salle  next  do?  What  accident  befell 
him  ?  Where  did  he  finally  try  to  make  his  way  ? — 10.  What  was  the  fate  of  La  Salle  ? 
What  became  of  his  party  ?  What  claim  did  the  French  King  base  on  La  Salle's  discoveries  ? 


70  KING  WILLIAM'S  WAR.  [1689 

LESSOTHI. 

KING  WILLIAM'S  WAE. 

1.  The  French  now  possessed  many  posts  in  Canada  and  the  far 
west,  and  had  great  influence  with  some  of  the  native  tribes.     The 
English  settlements  were  still  more  numerous,  and  stronger.     So  it 
is  not  strange  that  the  two  parties  should  have  been  jealous  of  each 
other.     In  1689,  troubles  arose  between  the  Kings  of  France  and 
England,  and  hostilities    at   once  commenced  in  the  new  world. 
As  William  III.  now  held  the  crown  of  England,  this  was  called 
King  "William's  War. 

2.  The  first  tiling  the  French  did  was  to  excite  their  Indian  allies 

O 

against  the  English.  There  was  an  old  man  called  Major  Waldron, 
living  in  Dover,  New  Hampshire,  who  had  once  treated  the  natives 
cruelly,  and  to  whom  some  of  them  were  in  debt  for  goods.  About 
dark  one  night,  a  couple  of  squaws  knocked  at  his  door,  and  asked 
to  stay  there  all  night,  as  they  were  very  tired.  Major  Waldron 
told  them  that  they  might ;  but,  as  soon  as  the  family  were  asleep, 
they  opened  the  door  and  let  in  a  band  of  Indians. 

3.  They  set  the  old  man  on  a  table.     He  had  been  a  mag 
istrate  ;  and,  mocking  him,  they  cried  out,  "  Judge  Indians  now,  as 
you  used  to  do."     Then  the  cruel  savages  who  owed  him  money, 
drew  their  knives  across  his  breast,  saying  that  thus  they  crossed 
out  their  accounts.     After  killing  Major  Waldron,  they  attacked 
the  neighboring  houses,  putting  to  death  all  whom  they  could. 

4.  The  following  winter,  a  body  of  French  and  Indians  surprised 
Sche-nec'-ta-dy.     This  was  a  flourishing  village,  sixteen  miles  from 
Albany.     There  was  a  wall  of  palisades  around  it,  but  the  sentinel 
had  gone  to  sleep,  and  the  assailants  entered  through  the  gate. 


1690]  STORY  OF  MRS.  DUSTIN.  71 

The  inhabitants  were  roused  by  the  terrible  war-whoop  and  the 
crackling  flames  of  their  houses.  Some  were  killed  in  their  beds. 
Others  fled  into  the  wilderness  in  their  night-clothes.  The  rest 
wrere  driven  off  as  captives,  and  the  town  was  reduced  to  ruins. 
Other  places  on  the  frontier  suffered  in  the  same  way. 

5.  These    outrages    at  last    roused    the    English.      They    sent 
two  expeditions  against  the  French  at  Montreal  and  Quebec.     One 
was  beaten  back,  and  the  other  returned  without  effecting  any 
thing.     Throughout  this  war,  which  lasted  eight  years,  the  French 
and  their  Indian  allies  had  the  better  of  the  English. 

6.  Mrs.  Dustin  showed  a  daring  spirit.    She  was  lying  sick,  with 
a  young  babe  beside  her,  when  a  band  of  Indians  fell  upon  the 
house.     They  killed  the  poor  infant,  and  made  her  get  up,  sick  as 
she  was,  and  go  with  them.     Mr.  Dustin  was  working  in  a  field 
near  by.     He  could  not  help  her  ;  but,  telling  his  children  to  run 
for  the  woods,  he  kept  the  Indians  off  with  his  gun,  and  thus  with 
difficulty  saved  them. 

7.  Mrs.  Dustin,  her  nurse,  and  a  boy,  were  driven  off  many 
miles  to  the  north.     Threatened  every  day  with  death,  they  at  last 
resolved  to  risk  their  lives  in  an  effort  to  escape.     The  boy  told  his 
master  that  he  wanted  to  make  a  great  warrior,  and  asked  where 
he  should  strike  a  person  in  order  to  kill  him.     The  savage  showed 
him,  and  he  told  Mrs.  Dustin  and  the  nurse.     That  same  night,  the 
three  softly  arose.     They  struck  the  sleeping  Indians  in  the  way 
the  boy  had  been  shown,  and  killed  the  whole  party  that  had  cap 
tured  them.     Then  they  seized  on  a  canoe,  paddled  down  the  river, 
and  were  soon  among  their  friends,  who  had  given  them  up  as  lost. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  cause  was  there  for  jealousy  between  the  French  and  English  ? 
In  1689,  what  took  place  ?  What  was  this  war  called,  and  why  ? — 2.  What  was  the  first 
step  taken  by  the  French  ?  What  stratagem  was  practised  by  the  Indians  in  Dover, 


72  QUEEN  ANNE'S  WAR.  [1T02 

New  Hampshire  ? — 3  How  did  the  Indians  treat  Major  Waldron  ?  What  did  they  do  to 
the  neighboring  houses  ? — 4.  Give  an  account  of  the  attack  on  Schenectady. — 5.  What  ex 
peditions  were  sent  out  by  the  English  ?  What  was  their  success?  Which  side  had  the 
better  throughout  King  William's  War  ? — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the  capture  of  Mrs. 
Dustin. — fi.  What  was  done  with  Mrs.  Dustin  ?  How  did  she  escape? 


LESSOR  XXII. 

QUEEN  ANNE'S  WAR.— THE  SOUTH-WEST.— GEOEGIA  FOUNDED. 

1.  In  1702,  another  war  broke  out,  between  the   French  and 
Spanish  and  the  English.     It  was  called,  from  the  Queen  of  Eng 
land,  Queen  Anne's  War.     In  the  new  world,  hostilities  began  in 
the  south-west.     The  governor  of  South  Carolina  marched  against 
the  Spaniards  at  Saint  Augustine,  Florida.     Before  he  could  take 
the  castle,  two  Spanish  vessels  appeared  off  the  coast,  and  he  had 
to  leave  his  stores  and  run  away.     lie  afterwards  set  out  against 
the  Indian  allies  of  the  French  and  Spanish,  and  succeeded  in  burn 
ing  several  of  their  villages  and  taking  a  number  of  prisoners. 

2.  The  French  and  Spanish  in  return  made  an  attack  on  Charles 
ton.     They  were  bravely  met  by  the  inhabitants,  who  drove  them 
back,  and  took  a  French  frigate  in  the  harbor.     Though  thus  suc 
cessful,  the  planters  of  Carolina  suffered  much  for   several  years 
from  the  incursions  of  the  savages,  who  were  excited  against  them 
by  the  French  and  Spanish. 

3.  In  the  winter  of  1704,  some  French  and  Indians  from  Canada 
made  a  descent  on  Deerfield,  in  the  northern  part  of  Massachusetts. 
They  were  expected,  and  sentinels  were  posted  every  night.     But 
the  cunning  Frenchman  kept  his  men  in  the  woods  till  daybreak, 
when  the  guard  was  dismissed.     Then,  climbing  up  the   snow, 
which  was  piled  to  the  top  of  the  palisades,  they  were  in  the  town 
in  a  moment. 


1704]  NEW   ORLEANS  FOUNDED.  73 

4.  Every  house  in  Deerfield  was  burned  but  one,  and  that  was 
riddled  with  bullets.     Many  were  killed,  and  still  more  made  pris 
oners.     Among  the  latter  were  Mr.  "Williams,  the  minister  of  the 
place,  his  wife,  and  five  children.     They  were  driven  many  miles 
through  the  snow ;  and  at  last  Mrs.  Williams,  who  was  sick,  sank 
from  exhaustion,  and  was  killed  before  her  husband's  eyes.     After 
remaining  a  prisoner  many  months,  Mr.  Williams  was  ransomed, 
and  returned  to  his  friends,  with  all  his  children  but  a  daughter 
seven  years  old. 

5.  Years  rolled  on,  and  Deerfield  was  rebuilt.     One  day,  a  wo 
man  dressed  like  a  squaw  entered  the  town.     Her  face  was  unlike 
an  Indian's,  and  the  people  asked  her  who  she  was.     She  answered 
that  she  was  the  lost  daughter  of  Mr.  Williams  ;  that  she  was  mar 
ried  to  an  Indian,  and  had  several  children  in  Canada.     The  people 
begged  her  to  stay  with  them  ;  but  she  would  not  leave  her  husband 
and  children,  and  went  back  to  Canada. 

6.  The  "King  of  France  was  not  discouraged  by  La  Salle's  ill 
success.     He  sent  out  more  emigrants,  who  found  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi,  sailed  up  the  river,  and  built  a  fort  where  Natchez  now 
stands.     In  1718,  the  city  of  New  Orleans  was  laid  out.     At  first  it 
grew  but  slowly  ;  but  now  it  is  the  great  city  of  the  south-west. 

7.  The  colonists  of  Louisiana,  as  this  whole   region  was   then 
called,  soon  got  in  trouble  with  the  natives.     The  Natchez  Indians 
had  a  village  near  the  French  fort,  which  the  French  wanted  to 
seize   and  turn  into  a  plantation.     This  roused  the  Natchez,  who 
fell  on  the  fort  and  put  to  death  all  except  the  women  and  children. 
The  people  of  New  Orleans  avenged  this  massacre  by  destroying 
the  whole  tribe. 

8.  The  last  settled  of  the  colonies  was  Georgia.     In  1733,  Ogle- 
thorpe  [pr -gel-thorp],  having  obtained  a  grant  from  George  II.,  King 


74  SETTLEMENT  OF  GEORGIA.  [1133 

of  Great  Britain,  in  whose  honor  he  named  his  colony,  reached  the 
Savannah  River  with  a  company  of  emigrants.  The  beautiful  city 
of  Savannah  was  founded,  with  wide  and  regular  streets,  and  large 
gardens  around  the  houses.  More  emigrants  came  over,  and  through 
the  wisdom  of  Oglethorpe  the  colony  flourished. 

9.  Oglethorpe  treated  the  Indians  kindly,  and  they  met  him  in 
the  same  spirit.     Soon  after  his  arrival,  several  chiefs  came  to  wel 
come  him.     They  brought  him  a  buffalo  skin,  adorned  with   the 
head  and  feathers  of  an  eagle,  in  token  of  their  friendship,  and 
asked  him  to  love  and  protect  their  families. 

10.  TVe  have  now  had  an  account  of  the  founding  of  the  Thir 
teen  Colonies.     See  if  you  can  remember  them  in  order,  with  the 

date  of  each. 

• 

1.  Virginia,  by  the  English,  at  Jamestown,  in  1607. 

2.  New  York,  by  the  Dutch,  at  New  Amsterdam,  in  1614. 

3.  New  Jersey,  by  Dutch  traders,  at  Bergen,  in  1618. 

4.  Massachusetts,  by  English  Puritans,  at  Plymouth,  in  1620. 

5.  New  Hampshire,  by  the  English,  at  Dover  and  Portsmouth,  in  1623. 

6.  Delaware,  by  the  Swedes  and  Finns,  in  1627. 

7.  Maryland,  by  the  English  under  Lord  Baltimore,  in  1634. 

8.  Connecticut,  by  Puritans  from  Massachusetts,  in  1635. 

9.  Rhode  Island,  by  Roger  Williams,  at  Providence,  in  1636. 

10.  Pennsylvania,  by  Swedes  from  Delaware,  in  1643. 
By  English  Quakers,  at  Philadelphia,  in  1683. 

11.  North  Carolina,  by  emigrants  from  Virginia,  in  1653. 

12.  South  Carolina,  by  the  English,  near  Charleston,  in  1670 

13.  Georgia,  by  the  English,  at  Savannah,  in  1733. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  war  broke  out  in  1702?  Where  did  hostilities  begin  in  the 
new  world?  What  was  done  by  the  governor  of  South  Carolina?  What  expedition  did 
he  afterwards  undertake  ? — 2.  What  attack  was  made  in  return  by  the  French  and 
Spanish?  What  success  did  they  meet  with?  From  what  did  the  planters  of  Carolina 
suffer? — 3.  In  1704,  what  place  was  attacked?  How  did  the  French  and  Indians  get 


H52]  WASHINGTON'S  EXPEDITION.  75 

inside  of  the  palisades  ? — 4.  How  did  the  attack  on  Deerfield  terminate  ?  Who  were 
taken  prisoners  ?  What  became  of  Mrs.  Williams  ?  What  became  of  Mr.  Williams  and 
most  of  his  family?— 5.  Tell  the  story  of  Mr.  Williams'  little  daughter.— 6.  What  settle 
ment  was  made  by  the  French  in  the  south-west  ?  When  was  New  Orleans  laid  out  ? 
What  rank  does  this  city  now  hold? — 7.  What  led  to  the  destruction  of  the  French  fort 
near  Natchez  ?  How  did  the  people  of  New  Orleans  avenge  this  massacre  ? — 8.  Which  of 
the  colonies  was  settled  last  ?  When  and  by  whom  was  Georgia  settled  ?  What  city  was 
first  founded? — 9.  How  didOglethorpe  treat  the  Indians?  Give  an  account  of  their  visit  to 
him. — 10.  State,  in  order,  by  whom  and  when  each  of  the  Thirteen  Colonies  was  founded. 


LESSON  XXIII. 

'  WASHINGTON'S  EXPEDITION. 

1.  As  years  rolled  on,  both  French  and  English  increased  rapid 
ly  in  America.     No  boundary  line  had  been  agreed  upon  between 
the  two  nations.     Each  was  jealous  of  the   other.     The   French 
claimed  the  rich  valleys  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  on  the  ground 
of  having  first  explored  them.   They  sent  out  agents  to  make  friends 
of  the  Indians,  and  broke  up  an  English  post  on  the  frontier,  carry 
ing  off  the  traders  to  Canada. 

2.  The  Indians  who  lived  near  the  Ohio  became  alarmed  at 
these  movements.     They  sent  one  of  their  warriors  to  the  French, 
to  say  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  given  these  lands  to  them.     But 
the  French  commander  replied,  "  It  is  my  land,  and  I  will  have  it." 
The  Indians  then  made  a  treaty  with  the  English  ;  and  the  governor 
of  Virginia  determined  to   send  a  messenger  to  the  French,  to 
forbid  their  trespassing  on  territory  which  he  said  belonged  to 
England. 

3.  The  person  selected  for  this  mission  was  GEORGE  WASHINGTON, 
— the  great  "Washington,  "  the  father  of  his  country  ", — then  a  youth 
of  twenty-one.     Washington  was  liorn  in   a  Virginia  farm-house 


76  STORIES  OF  WASHINGTON.  [1Y53 

near  the  Potomac  River.     He  was  brought  up  by  a  good  mother, 
who  taught  him  to  love  what  was  true  and  noble. 

4.  Once,  when  a  new  hatchet  had  been  given  him,  he  went 
around  trying  its  edge  in  the  garden,  and  thus  ruined  a  favorite 
cherry-tree  of  his  father's.     When  his  father  asked  who  had  done 
the  mischief,  the  little  George  was  tempted  to  deny  the  act.     lie 
hesitated  for  a  moment,  but  then  cried,  "  Father,  I  can  not  tell  a 
lie ;  I  cut  the  tree."      "  Come  to  my  heart,  my  boy,"  answered 
George's  father,  folding  him  in  his  arms;  "I  had  rather  lose  a 
thousand  trees  than  find  falsehood  in  my  son." 

5.  George  was  an  excellent  horseman.     His  mother  had  two  fa 
vorite  horses,  one  of  which  was  not  used  to  the  saddle.     As  this 
horse  was  feeding  on  the  lawn  one  day,  some  young  men  proposed 
to  mount  it.     They  tried  in  vain,  however  ;  it  set  them  all  at  defi 
ance.     George,  who  was  one  of  the  youngest  present,  then  made 
the  attempt.     In  spite  of  its  plunging  and  kicking,  he  succeeded  in 
getting  on  its  back,  and  kept  his  seat  there,  till,  after  a  furious  race, 
the  animal  fell  exhausted. 

6.  At  school  George  was  the  leader  of  all  the  boys  in  both  play 
and  study.     He  became  a  good  surveyor,  and  soon  after  leaving 
school  was  employed  to  survey  a  large  tract  of  wild  land  on  the 
Potomac.    He  camped  out  in  the  woods,  shot  his  own  game,  cooked 
it  for  himself,  used  a  chip  for  his  dish,  and  his  fingers  for  forks. 
He  soon  became  known  for  his  courage  and  fidelity,  and  this  led 
the  governor  of  Virginia  to  choose  him  for  his  messenger  to  the 
French. 

7.  The  French  fort  lay  in  the  north-west  of  Pennsylvania.     The 
route  thither  ran  through  forests  and  swamps,  and  over  rivers  swol 
len  by  rain  and  snow.     It  was  with  great  difficulty  Washington 
reached  it.     He  delivered  his  message  without  effect.     The  French 


1753] 


WASHINGTON'S  EXPEDITION. 


commander  pointed  to  his  boats,  all  ready  for  starting,  and  told  him 
that  in  the  spring  he  intended  sailing  down  the  Ohio,  and  destroy 
ing  every  English  post  he  met  with. 

8.  Several  friendly  Indians  had  accompanied  Washington,  and 
these  the  French  tried  to  entice  from  him  with  rum  and  presents. 
Washington  could  hardly  get  them  away.    At  last,  finding  he  could 
do  nothing,  he  set  out  on  his  return,  having  first  learned  all   he 
could  about  the  plans  of  the  French.     His  journey  home  was  full 

It  was  extremely  cold.  The  horses  were  disabled,  and 
t  through  the  snow.  A  treacherous  Indian 
guide  fired  at  his  head  at  the  distance  of  a  few  feet,  but  missed  his 
aim. 

9.  At  length,  with  a  single  companion,  he  came  to  a  deep  river, 
full  of  drifting  ice.     Having  made  a  raft,  they  got  on  board,  and 


of  dangers. 

he  had  to  go  on 


tried  to  push  it  across  with  poles.    It  soon  became  jammed  between 


78  WASHINGTON'S  RETURN.  [1T54 

cakes  of  ice.  "Washington,  while  trying  to  steady  the  raft  with  his 
pole,  was  jerked  into  the  water,  and  narrowly  escaped  drowning. 
In  the  engraving  you  see  him  struggling  amid  the  ice. 

10.  Through  all  the  dangers  of  the  way,  Washington  was  pre 
served  by  a  Higher  Power.  He  made  his  report  to  the  governor 
of  Virginia,  and  was  praised  by  all  for  the  gallantry  with  which  he 
had  discharged  his  duty.  A  long  war  between  the  French  and 
English  followed,  which  is  known  as  the  French  and  Indian  War. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  difficulty  again  arose  between  the  French  and  the  English? 
What  was  the  ground  of  the  French  claim?  What  steps  were  taken  by  the  French? — 2. 
What  passed  between  the  Indians  living  near  the  Ohio  and  the  French  ?  With  whom 
did  the  Indians  then  make  a  treaty  ?  What  was  done  by  the  governor  of  Virginia? — 
3.  Who  was  selected  for  this  mission  ?  How  old  was  Washington  then  ?  Where  was 
he  born  ?  By  whom  was  he  brought  up  ? — 4.  What  story  is  told,  showing  Washington's 
love  of  truth  in  boyhood  ? — 5.  Relate  the  story  about  George's  skill  in  horsemanship. — 
6.  What  position  did  George  take  in  school?  How  was  he  employed  after  leaving 
school?  What  led  the  governor  of  Virginia  to  choose  him  for  his  messenger? — Y. 
Where  did  the  French  fort  lie  ?  What  is  said  of  the  route  thither?  What  effect  did 
Washington's  message  produce? — 8.  By  whom  had  Washington  been  accompanied? 
What  did  the  French  try  to  do  with  these  Indians  ?  At  last,  what  was  Washington 
obliged  to  do?  What  is  said  of  the  journey  home? — 9.  Give  an  account  of  Washing 
ton's  narrow  escape  amid  the  drifting  ice. — 10.  On  making  his  report,  for  what  was 


LESSON  XXIY. 

FEENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAE.-BEADDOCK'S  DEFEAT. 

1.  By  "Washington's    advice,  the   English   commenced   a  fort 
where  Pittsburg,  in  Pennsylvania,  now  stands.     Before  its  comple 
tion  it  was  captured  by  the  French,  who  finished  it  and  called  it 
Fort  Du  Quesne  \dukane\. 

2.  A  force  commanded  by  "Washington  had  been  sent  out  to 

' 


1T54]  BRADDOCK'S  EXPEDITION.  79 

garrison  this  post.  Though  too  late  to  save  it,  they  surprised  a 
body  of  French  by  a  night  attack,  and  completely  defeated  them. 
AYashington  was  soon  after  surrounded  in  a  stockade  which  he  had 
constructed,  by  a  large  force  of  French  and  Indians.  He  had  to 
surrender,  but  was  allowed  to  retain  his  stores,  and  march  out  with 
the  honors  of  war. 

3.  In  1755,  General  Braddock  came  over  from  Great  Britain 
with  a  powerful  army,  to  attack  the  French.     He  advanced  against 
Fort  Du  Quesne,  moving  but  slowly,  in  consequence  of  having  to 
make  his  own  road  through  the  wilderness.    Washington  joined  his 
army,  and  warned  the  general  to  be  on  his  guard  against  Indian 
ambuscades.    But  Braddock  paid  no  attention  to  his  warnings.    The 
savages,  he  said,  could  do  no  ftarm  to  British  troops. 

4.  When  Braddock's  army  was  within  a  few  miles  of  Fort  Du 
Quesne,  a  deadly  fire  was  suddenly  poured  in  upon  them  ;  and  In 
dian  yells  rent  the  air  in  front  and  on  each  side.     The  savages  were 
concealed  behind  trees  and  rocks,  and  the  British  were  cut  down 
without  a  chance  of  returning  their  fire.     The  van  was  seized  with 
a  panic,  and  fell  back  on  the  main  body.     The  Virginia  Rangers, 
who  were  used  to  Indian  warfare,  stood  their  ground  bravely  for  a 
time  ;  but  the  rest  were  thrown  into  confusion,  left  their  baggage, 
and  fled  from  the  field. 

5.  Braddock  was  mortally  wounded  while  trying  to  rally  his 
men.     The  chief  command  then  fell  to  Washington.     He  threw 
himself  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight.     Two  horses  were  shot  under 
him.     Four  balls  passed  through  his  coat.     The  Indians  aimed  at 
him  again  and  again  ;  still  he  escaped  uninjured.     But  in  vain  he 
strove  to  turn  the  fortunes  of  the  day. 

6.  The  British  fled  many  miles,  destroying  their  artillery  and 
stores.     The  fine  army  of  Braddock  was  broken  up,  and  that  by  a 


80  MONTCALM'S  VICTORIES.  [1T55 

much  smaller  force  of  French  and  Indians.  The  French  com 
mander  had  at  first  thought  of  abandoning  the  fort.  One  of  his 
officers  persuaded  him  to  stay  and  meet  the  enemy  ;  and,  with  the 
aid  of  his  Indian  allies,  he  was,  as  we  have  seen,  completely  suc 
cessful. 

7.  The  English  colonists  had  expected  much   from  Braddock, 
and  were  greatly  disappointed  at  his  defeat.    In  the  north,  however, 
they  had  better  success.     Near  Lake  George,  in  the  state  of  New 
York,  they  defeated  a  large  army  of  French  and  Indians,  who  were 
making  a  descent  on  one  of  their  forts.     They  also  conquered  a 
large  tract  lying  east  of  Maine,  now  called  New  Brunswick. 

8.  In  1756,  the  French  sent  over  a  distinguished  general  named 
Montcalm,  to  command  their  forces  in  America.    Taking  advantage 
of  the  inactivity  of  the  English  general,  Montcalm  captured  a  num 
ber  of  places.     In  1757,  marching  down  from  Canada  into  the  state 
of  New  York  with  a  large  force  of  French  and  Indians,  he  laid  siege 
to  Fort  William  Henry,  on  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  George. 
This  post  was  bravely  defended  by  its  commander,  who  hoped  for 
relief  from  a  British  army  under  General  Webb,  at  another  fort, 
only  fourteen  miles  off. 

9.  But  Webb  was  afraid  to  meet  Montcalm,  and  let  the  garrison 
of  Fort  William  IienrT*  take  care  of  itself.     Still  the  officer  in  com 
mand  gallantly  held  out.     It  was  not  till  half  his  cannon  burst,  and 
his  ammunition  gave  out,  that  '.e  agreed  to  surrender.     Honorable 
terms  were  granted.     The  troops  were  to  be  allowed  to  join  their 
comrades  at  the  other  fort. 

10.  No  sooner,  however,  had  they  commenced  marching  out  of 
Fort  William  Henry,  than  the  savages  in  Montcalm's  army  began 
to  rob  and  murder  them.     A  general  massacre  ensued.     In  spite  of 
the  efforts  of  the  French  officers,  only  a  part  of  the  British  army 


1757]  FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR.  81 


escaped.     Up  to  this  time  tlie  French  had  been  generally  success 
ful.     They  noKr  possessed  twenty  times  as  much  territory  in  Amer 


ica  as  the  English. 

QUESTIONS.  —  1.  Where  did  Washington  advise  the  erection  of  a  fort  ?  What  became 
of  this  fort?  What  did  the  French  call  it?  —  2.  What  victory  \vas  soon  after  achieved 
by  Washington  ?  What  then  befell  him  ?  —  3.  Who  came  over  in  1755  ?  What  post  did 
Braddock  proceed  to  attack  ?  Who  joined  his  army  ?  What  advice  did  Washington 
give  Braddock  ?  What  reply  did  Braddock  make  ?  —  4.  Give  an  account  of  the  surprise 
of  Braddock's  army.  How  did  the  Virginia  Rangers  behave  ?  What  is  said  of  the  rest 
of  the  army  ?  —  5.  What  befell  Braddock  ?  Who  then  took  the  command  ?  What  dan 
gers  did  Washington  escape?  —  6.  What  became  of  Braddock's  fine  army?  What  had 
the  French  commander  at  first  intended  ?  What  made  him  change  his  mind  ?  —  7.  What 
success  did  the  English  colonists  have  in  the  north  ?  What  large  tract  did  they  conquer  ? 
—  8.  In  1756,  what  French  general  came  over?  What  did  Hontcalm  do  in  1757?  On 
whom  did  the  commander  of  Fort  William  Henry  rely  for  aid  ?  —  9.  Why  did  not  Webb  go 
to  relieve  the  fort  ?  How  long  did  he  hold  out  ?  On  what  terms  did  he  surrender  ?  —  10. 
Give  an  account  of  the  massacre  that  followed  the  surrender.  Up  to  this  time,  which 
party  had  generally  been  successful?  How  did  the  French  territory  in  America  now 
compare  with  the  English  ? 


LESSOR  XXV. 

CLOSE  OF  THE  FKENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAE. 

1.  Thn  English  losses  had  been  caused  by  the  inefficiency  of 
their  generals.-    1^   I7'o&,  ihtsioiore,          •  selrofed   better   leaders. 
Several  expeditions  were  planned.    C  e  resulted  in  the  cap 
ture  cf  Louisburg,  a  strong  French  pv    «r-     an  island  north-east  of 
Nova  Scotia.     The  French  com     ^  v    ..eid  out  till  his  ships  were 
taken,  his  cannon  destroyed,  aik.            ^rks  battered  down.     Nor 
would  he  have  surrendered  then,  had  iu  i^oi  oeen.  for  the  prayers  of 
the  inhabitants. 

2.  Montcalm,  the  gallant  French  gaieral,  was  at  Ticonderoga. 

A 


B2 


FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR. 


[1758 


Here  he  was  attacked  by  a  superior  force  of  English,  but  he  drove 
them  back  with  loss.  An  English  expedition  directed  against  Fort 
Du  Quesne  was  more  successful.  One  division  of  the  army,  sent 
out  to  reconnoitre,  was  defeated ;  but,  when  Washington  and  his 
brave  Virginians  approached  the  fort,  the  French  commander  blew 
up  the  magazine,  set  fire  to  the  works,  and  retreated  with  his  men 
in  boats. 

3.  Washington  raised  his  country's  flag  over  the  ruins.     A  new 

block-house,  represented  in 
the  cut,  was  erected.  The 
place  was  called  Pittsburg, 
after  Pitt,  an  eminent  Eng 
lish  statesman.  Returning 
soon  after  to  Virginia,  Wash 
ington  was  received  with 
great  honor.  The  district  in 
which  he  lived  had  elected 
him  to  the  House  of  Bur 
gesses,  as  the  legislature  of 
the  colony  was  called.  When 
he  took  his  seat  in  that  body, 
the  Speaker  rose  and  thanked 
inm  m  ur  na:*  -^>f  his  coun 
try  for  his  distinguished,  services.  Washington  rose  to  reply — 
blushed — stammered — trembled— but  could  not  say  a  wqrc1  "  Sit 
down,  Mr.  Washington,"  saic*  the  Speaker  ;  "-your  modesty  equals 
your  courage,  and  that  :>  the  powrer  of  any  language  I 

possess." 

4.  The  strongest  place  now  in  possession  of  the  French  was 
Quebec.     This  had  been  founded  about  the  same  time  as  James- 


1T59]  WOLFE'S  ATTACK   ON  QUEBEC.  83 

town.  The  fort  stood  on  an  almost  perpendicular  bluff,  two  hun 
dred  feet  high.  It  was  strongly  built,  and  defended  by  a  large 
army  under  Moiitcalm.  This  post  the  English  determined  to  take. 
The  heroic  Wolfe,  with  eight  thousand  men,  was  sent  against  it. 
They  arrived  in  the  summer  of  1759. 

5.  For  several  months  Wolfe  lay  before  Quebec.     He  made  va 
rious  attempts,  but  was  baffled  in  all  by  the  strength  of  the  place. 
He  could  see  but  one  chance  of  success,  and  that,  slight  as  it  was, 
he  resolved  to  try.     While  sailing  up  the  river,  he  had  espied,  a 
short  distance  above  the  fort,  a  steep  rough  path  running  up  the 
face  of  the  cliff  amid  rocks  and  bushes.     This  led,  he  was  told,  to 
the  Plains  of  Abraham,  which  extended  to  the  upper  town.     His 
plan  was  to  land  in  the  night,  lead  his  men  up  the  narrow  path, 
surprise  the  French  guard  on  the  top,  and  then  advance  upon  the 
fort, 

6.  This  plan  was  carried  out.     In  the  engraving  on  the  next 
page,  you  see  Wolfe's  men  climbing  up  the  cliff.    Supporting  them 
selves  by  roots  and  bushes,  they  reached  the  top,  and  put  to  flight 
the  French  guard  which  had  fired  on  them  as  they  approached  the 
summit.     By  dawn  the  whole  English  army  was  on  the  heights. 
Montcalm  was  thunderstruck  when  he  received  these  tidings.     His 
men  were  at  once  in  motion.     A  bloody  battle  took  place.     The 
English  were  successful.     Wolfe  fell  at  the  moment  of  victory, 
thanking  God  for  his  success,  and  declarmg  that  he  died  happy. 

7.  Montcalm,  also,  was  mortally  wounded,  while  trying  to  rally 
his  men.     He  had  -done  all  he  could  to  save  the  day,  but  in  vain. 
The  French  fled  into  the  town,  and  three  days  afterwards  Quebec 
surrendered  to  the  English.     The  next  year  Montreal  was  taken, 
and  with  it  all  Canada  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English.     It  has 
ever  since  remained  in  their  possession. 


:•  ! 


CLOSE   OF  THE   FRENCH   AND   INDIAN  WAR. 


[H59 


8.  Thus  ended  the  French  and  Indian  War.     It  lasted  over  six 
years,  and  cost  the  lives  of  thousands  of  brave  men.     Wolfe  and 


Wolfe's  Army  ascending 
to  the  Plains  of  Abraham.— The  fort,  or  cit 
adel,  of  Quebec  is  on  the  top  of  the  bluff 
the  right  of  the  engraving.    At  its  base,  is 
what  is  called  the  Lower  Town.     The  bay  in 
which  the  boats  landed,  is  known  as  Wolfe's  Cove. 


Montcalm,  the  two  gallant  generals,  were  much  lamented.  The 
English  have  since  raised  a  monument,  bearing  the  name  of  each, 
on  the  spot  where  the  battle  was  fought.  Though  England  spent  a 
great  deal  of  money  in  this  struggle,  she  in  return  vastly  increased 
her  possessions  in  the  new  world. 


1G8T]  TROUBLES  WITH  THE   GOVERNORS.  85 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  By  what  had  the  English  losses  been  caused  ?  What  did  they  there 
fore  do?  What  French  post  was  captured?  How  long  did  the  commander  hold  out  ? — 
2.  What  other  post  was  attacked  ?  With  what  result  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  English 
attack  on  Fort  Du  Quesne. — 3.  What  was  erected  on  the  site  of  Fort  Du  Quesne?  To 
what  was  the  name  changed  ?  How  was  Washington  received,  on  his  return  to  Vir 
ginia?  What  passed  in  the  House  of  Burgesses? — 4.  What  was  the  strongest  place  now 
in  possession  of  the  French  ?  How  was  Quebec  situated  ?  By  whom  was  it  defended  ? 
Who  was  sent  against  it?  When? — 5.  How  did  Wolfe  spend  several  months?  What 
desperate  plan  did  he  at  last  form  ? — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the  ascent.  What  did  Morit- 
calm  do,  on  hearing  the  news  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  ?  What  was  Wolfe's 
fate  ? — 7.  What  happened  to  Montcalm  ?  Three  days  after  the  battle,  what  took  place? 
What  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  the  next  year  ? — 8.  How  long  did  the  French 
and  Indian  War  last?  How  have  the  English  honored  the  memory  of  Wolfe  and  Mont- 
calm  ?  What  did  England  lose,  and  what  did  she  gain,  in  this  struggle  ? 


LESSON  ml. 

TEOUBLES  WITH  THE  GOVERNORS. 

1.  Peace  now  prevailed,  and  the  colonies  would  have  flourished 
if  they  had  been  left  to  themselves.     But  the  King  and  Parliament 
of  England  wanted  to  control  them  and  interfere  with  their  affairs. 
Many  of  the  governors,  for  years  back,  had  been  men  who  cared 
little  for  the  colonies.     Their  chief  aim  was  to  enrich  themselves, 
and  deprive  the  people  of  their  rights. 

2.  But  the  hardy  settlers  of  America  were  not  disposed  to  sub 
mit.     On  one  occasion,  Andros,  who  had  been  made  governor  of 
all  New  England,  went  to  Connecticut,  and  told  the  people  they 
must  give  up  their  charter.     This  was  a  paper  setting  forth  their 
rights.     It  had  been  granted  to  them  by  a  previous  King  ;  but  the 
tyrannical  James  II.  had  revoked  it,  and  sent  Andros  to  take   it 
away.     The  people  were  opposed  to  its  surrender,  and  crowded  into 
the  hall  where  the  Assembly  were  discussing  the  question. 


86  STORY  OF   GOVERNOR  FLETCHER.  [1681 

3.  The  charter  lay  open  on  a  table.     On  a  sudden  the  candles 
were  put  out,  and  when  they  were  relighted  the  charter  could  not 
be  found.    A  patriot  had  made  off  with  it,  and  hidden  it  in  the  hol 
low  of  a  large  oak,  called  from  this  "  the  charter  oak  ".    Two  years 
afterwards,  the  people  heard  that  King  James  had  been  driven  from 
his  throne  in  England,  on  account  of  his  tyranny.     On  this  they 
seized  Andros,  sent  him  over  to  England,  and  drew  the  much-prized 
charter,  uninjured,  out  of  its  hiding-place. 

4.  A  few  years  after  this,  the  King  gave  Governor  Fletcher  au 
thority  to  command  the  militia  of  Connecticut ;   and  he  ordered 
them  to  turn  out  at  Hartford  on  a  certain  day,  for  review.     The 
people  preferred  having  their  own  officers  command  them.     When 
Fletcher  arrived,  he  found  a  large  body  of  men  assembled,  with 
their  captain,  named  Wadsworth,  at  their  head.    "  Read  the  King's 
order,  by  which  I  am  to  command  the  Connecticut  militia,"  said 
Fletcher  to  his  secretary.     Just  then  "Wadsworth  gave  a  signal,  and 
the  drummers  commenced  beating  their  drums  so  loudly  that  the 
secretary  could  not  be  heard. 

5.  "  Silence !  "  roared  Fletcher,  and  beckoned  to  his  secretary 
to  go  on.     Before  he  could  do  so,  the  drums  commenced  again, 
drowning  every  other  sound.     "  Silence  !  "  again  cried  Fletcher,  al 
most  bursting  with  rage.    The  drummers  stopped  ;  but  Wadsworth, 
stepping  up  fiercely  with  his  drawn  sword,  bade  them  go  on.     "  If 
you  interrupt  them  again,"  said  he  to  Fletcher,  "  I  will  make  day 
light  shine  through  you."     "When  Fletcher  heard  this,  he  concluded 
to  leave  the  Connecticut  militia  to  their  own  officers. 

6.  The  French  and  Indian  "War   afforded   a  new  pretext  for 
wringing  money  out  of  America.     The  King  and  Parliament  took 
the  ground  that,  as  the  war  had  been  in  defence  of  the  colonies,  the 
colonies  should  pay  for  it.     So  they  laid  duties  on  various  articles 


1160]  PASSAGE   OF  THE  STAMP   ACT.  87 

imported  into  America.  The  colonies  were  willing  to  bear  the  ex 
pense  of  the  war.  But  they  claimed  that  Parliament  had  no  right 
to  tax  them,  because  they  were  not  represented  by  any  delegates  in 
that  body.  Taxation  without  representation  they  would  not  submit 
to. 

7.  In  1760,  Parliament  took  new  measures  for  collecting  the 
odious  duty.  The  colonies  were  at  once  thrown  into  great  excite 
ment.  Meetings  were  held,  and  the  .people  protested  against  Par 
liament's  assuming  such  despotic  powers.  The  excitement  was  in 
creased  in  1765,  by  Parliament's  passing  the  famous  Stamp  Act. 
By  this  act,  all  newspapers  and  almanacs,  all  bonds,  notes,  con 
tracts,  &c.,  were  required  to  bear  stamps,  which  were  to  be  bought 
from  the  government  at  prices  ranging  from  one  cent  to  nearly 
thirty  dollars.  This  tax  the  colonies  determined  to  resist,  if  neces 
sary,  by  force  of  arms. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  now  prevented  the  colonies  from  flourishing?  What  was  the 
character  of  many  of  the  governors  ? — 2.  How  did  the  colonists  feel  towards  their  oppress 
ive  governors  ?  What  difficulty  arose  with  Governor  Andros  ? — 3.  How  was  the  charter 
saved?  What  afterwards  happened  to  Andros? — 4,  6.  What  difficulty  arose  with  Gov 
ernor  Fletcher?  Tell  what  passed  between  him  and  Captain  Wadsworth. — 6.  What 
afforded  a  new  pretext  for  wringing  money  out  of  America  ?  What  did  the  King  and 
Parliament  claim?  What  ground  was  taken  by  the  colonies? — 7.  What  did  Parliament 
do  in  1760?  What  was  the  effect  of  this  in  the  colonies?  What  increased  the  excite 
ment?  What  was  required  by  the  Stamp  Act  ?  How  did  the  colonists  feel  respecting 

Igllii**    ti**  )>/$ 

$%telwi  !r™ 

LESSOX  XXVII. 

'.  CAUSES   OF    THE  REVOLUTION. 

1.  When  the  news  that  the  Stamp  Act  had  passed  reached  Vir 
ginia,  the  House  of  Burgesses- was  in  session.  Among  the  members 


88  CAUSES  OF  THE  REVOLUTION.  [1T65 

was  a  young  lawyer  of  burning  eloquence  and  fearless?  spirit,  named 
Patrick  Henry.  Ijidignant  at  this  outrage  on  his  country's  rights, 
he  poured  forth  anmnpassioned  speech,  which  carried  all  before  it. 
So  boldly  did  he  express  himself,  that  the  cry  of  "  Treason  !  Trea 
son  !  "  was  raised  in  different  parts  of  the  house,  by  members  who 
favored  the  royal  cause.  But  nothing  could  withstand  the  torrent 
of  Patrick  Henry's  eloquence.  It  awakened  a  spirit  of  resistance 
in  every  noble  breast. 

2.  The  people  did  not  confine  themselves  to  words.    The}7  burned 
images  of  those  who  were  appointed  to  sell  the  stamps.    When  ves 
sels  with  stamps  arrived,  they  tolled  the  bells,  and  walked  the  streets 
dressed  in  mourning.     They  destroyed  whole  boxes  of  stamps,  and 
threatened  all  who  should  distribute  or  use  them.     So  Parliament 
had  to  repeal  this  act.     But  it  still  claimed  the  right  of  taxation, 
and  laid  a  duty  on  all  tea,  glass,  paper,  and  painter's  colors,  im 
ported  into  the  colonies. 

3.  The  colonists  were  still  dissatisfied ;  and,  when   they   heard 
that  English  soldiers  had  been  ordered  to  Boston,  to  make  them 
submit,  they  were  more  angry  than  ever.     The  soldiers,  on   their 
arrival,  treated  the  people  insolently,  while  their  officers  screened 
them  from  punishment.    They  soon  had  a  collision  with  the  citizens 
of  Boston,  in  which  three  of  the  latter  were  killed.     This  was  called 
"  the  Boston  Massacre  ". 

4.  Parliament  at  last  saw  fit  to  take  off  the  duties  from  every 
article  but  tea.     The  colonists  then  determined  not  to  use  any  tea. 
When  ships  containing  this  article  came  over,  they  would  not  let 
them  land,  but  sent  them  back  to  England.    At  Boston,  three  ships 
full  of  tea  having  arrived,  the  governor  insisted  that  they  should 
not  go  back,  but  that  their  cargoes  should  be  landed.     So,  after 
dark  one  night,  a  party  of  men  disguised  as  Indians  went  on  board 


ma] 


TEA  KIOT   AT  BOSTON. 


of  the  ships,  and  threw  the  tea  overboard  into  the  harbor.     This 
was  done  amid  the  cheers  of  a  great  crowd  assembled  on  the  wharf. 


Throwing  over  the  Tea  in  Boston  Harbor. 

5.  On  their  return,  they  passed  a  house  where  the  British  Ad 
miral  was  spending  the  evening.     Putting  his  head  out  of  the  win 
dow,  he  cried,  "  Well,  boys,  you've  had  a  fine  night  for  your  Indian 
caper ;  but  mind,  you've  got  to  pay  the  fiddler."     "  Oh  !  never 
mind,"  said  one  of  the  crowd  ;  "just  you  come  out  here,  and  we'll 
settle  the  bill  in  two  minutes."     But  the  Admiral  declined  the  in 
vitation. 

6.  General  Gage  was  now  governor  of  Massachusetts.     Instead 
of  making  friends  of  the  people,  he  let  his  soldiers  provoke  them 


90 


CAUSES  OF  THE  REVOLUTIOX. 


[17T5 


more  and  more.  Even  the  boys  did  not  escape.  The  red-coats  in 
terfered  with  their  sports,  broke  through  their  skating-ponds,  and, 
when  they  complained,  called  them,  young  rebels.  At  last  they  as 
sembled  in  a  body  and  w^ent  to  General  Gage.  They  boldly  told 


.  The  Boston  Boys  and  General  Gage. 

him  how  his  soldiers  had  ill-treated  them,  and  that  they  would  bear 
it  no  longer.  The  general  could  not  help  admiring  them.  "  Go, 
my  brave  boys,"  he  replied,  "  and  be  assured  that  if  my  troops 
trouble  you  again  they  shall  be  punished." 

7.  Parliament  persisted  in  its  claims  ;  the  colonies  denied  them. 
Neither  would  yield.  In  vain  General  Gage  tried  to  bribe  the  lead 
ing  patriots.  The  King  had  not  money  enough  to  buy  them.  Del 
egates  from  the  different  colonies  met  at  Philadelphia  in  1774,  to 
agree  upon  measures  of  resistance.  Bodies  of  militia  were  formed. 
Officers  were  appointed.  "  Minute-men,"  as  they  were  called, 


1775]  COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  KEVOLUTION.  91 

agreed  to  shoulder  their  muskets  at  a  moment's  notice.  Patrick 
Henry  again  raised  his  voice  in  Virginia.  His  thrilling  words, 
"  Give  me  liberty  or  give  me  death"  were  reechoed  far  and  wide 
throughout  the  colonies. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  took  place  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia,  when  the 
passage  of  the  Stamp  Act  \vas  announced?  What  was  the  effect  of  Patrick  Henry's  elo 
quence  ? — 2.  What  acts  followed  on  the  part  of  the  colonists  ?  What  was  Parliament 
obliged  to  do  ?  On  what  did  it  lay  a  duty  ? — 3.  What  increased  the  dissatisfaction  of  the 
colonists  ?  How  did  the  soldiers  behave  on  their  arrival?  What  is  meant  by  "  the  Bos 
ton  massacre"  ? — 4.  What  concessions  did  Parliament  finally  make  ?  Was  this  sufficient  ? 
What  resolution  did  the  colonists  form  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  riot  at  Boston. — 5. 
What  passed  between  the  tea  rioters  and  the  British  Admiral? — 6.  Who  was  now  govern 
or  of  Massachusetts  ?  What  course  did  he  pursue  ?  How  were  the  Boston  boys 
troubled?  Give  an  account  of  their  interview  with  General  Gage. — 7.  What  did  General 
Gage  try  to  do  ?  With  what  success  ?  What  meeting  was  held  in  1774  ?  What  mea 
sures  were  adopted  ?  What  famous  words  of  Patrick  Henry's  were  reechoed  throughout 
the  colonies  ? 

4 

TTT      . 


COMMENCEMENT   OF  THE   KEVOLUTION. 

1.  In  1775,  the  war,  long  foreseen,  broke  out.     It  is  known  as 
the  [Revolutionary  War.    Early  in  that  year,  the  British  Parliament 
declared  that  Massachusetts  was  in  rebellion,  and  sent  out  more 
troops.    General  Gage  had  already  fortified  Boston  Neck,  which  con 
nects  the  city  with  the  main  land.     The  patriots  had  some  trouble 
in  getting  their  ammunition  out  of  Boston.     They  hid  their  cannon 
in  loads  of  manure,  and  their  powder  and  cartridges  in  market-baskets 
and  candle-boxes.     Thus  they  passed  the  sentinels  unsuspected. 

2.  The  patriots  collected  most  of  their  stores  at  Concord,  a  few 
miles  from  Boston.     Hearing  of  this,  General  Gage  one  night  sent 
a  force  of  eight  hundred  men  to  destroy  them.     It  was  done  very 


BATTLE   OF   LEXINGTON. 


[1715 


secretly  ;  yet  the  patriots  found  oat  what  was  going  on.  The  Brit 
ish,  as  they  advanced  towards  Concord,  heard  bells  ringing  and 
guns  firing  in  the  surrounding  country.  These  were  signals  for  the 
minute-men  to  assemble. 

3.  A  little  more  than  half  way  between  Boston  and  Concord 
was  the  village  of  Lexington.     Here  the  British  arrived   shortly 
after  daylight.     They  found  a  body  of  minute-men  on  the  green. 
"  Disperse,  ye  rebels !  "  said  the  British  leader,  riding  up  to  them 
and  discharging  his  pistol.     His  men  then  fired.     Several  of  the 
Americans  fell.     The  rest  gave  way.     This  was  the  first  blood  shed 
in  the  Revolution. 

4.  The  British  went  on  to  Concord.    Here  some  of  them  held  the 


bridge,  while  the  rest  went  to  destroy  the  stores.     Meanwhile  some 


1TT5]  RETREAT  OF  THE  BRITISH.  93 

American  militia-men  came  up,  and  a  skirmish  took  place  at  the 
bridge,  which  you  see  represented  in  the  engraving.  Several  fell 
on  both  sides ;  and,  as  soon  as  their  companions  came  back,  the 
British  were  glad  to  commence  their  homeward  march.  They  had 
destroyed  two  cannon,  had  thrown  a  great  number  of  cannon-balls 
into  the  river  and  wells,  and  had  broken  to  pieces  about  sixty  bar 
rels  of  flour.  Most  of  the  stores  had  been  carried  off  to  a  place  of 
safety  before  they  arrived. 

5.  A  large  quantity  of  flour  was  saved  by  a  miller  named  Wheel 
er.     It  was  stored  in  his  barn,  along  with  some  of  his  own.    When 
the  soldiers  came  to  search  the  place,  Wheeler  told  them  that  he 
was  a  miller,  and  made  his  living  by  grinding  grain.    Then  putting 
his  hand  on  a  barrel  which  belonged  to  himself,  he  said  :  "  This  is 
my  flour  ;  surely  you  will  not  destroy  private  property."     The  sol 
diers  thought  from  what  he  said  that  it  was  all  his,  and  went  away 
without  doing  any  injury. 

6.  The  British  suffered  sorely  on  their  return.     The  alarm  had 
spread,  and  the  brave  men  of  the  surrounding  country  came  up 
from  all  sides.     Posting  themselves  behind  barns  and  houses,  trees 
and  fences,  they  poured  in  a  deadly  fire  on  the  retreating  British. 
In  vain  the  latter  tried  to  return  it.     All  the  way  to  Boston,  they 
were  thus  harassed.     Their  ranks  kept  thinning,  and  they  were 
ready  to  sink  with  fatigue.     They  would  never  have  reached  the 
city,  had  not  fresh  troops  been  sent  to  their  aid. 

7.  The  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  was  the  signal  for  a  gen 
eral  rising.    The  farmer  left  his  plough,  and  the  mechanic  his  work 
shop.     Even  old  men  and  boys  hastened  to  arm  themselves.     The 
wife  girded  the  sword  about  her  husband.     The  mother  blessed  her 
son,  and  bade  him  go  strike  a  blow  for  his  country.     There  was 
many  a  scene  like  that  which  you  see  in  the  engraving. 


94 


GOING  TO   THE  WAR. 


[HT5 


8.  One  mother  fitted  out  her  eldest  son  with  a  fowling-piece  and 
slugs  made  out  of  her  pewter  spoons.     Her  younger  boy  was  only 


sixteen.  For  him  she  had  nothing  but  an  old  rusty  sword.  Giving 
him  this,  she  dashed  away  a  tear,  and  bade  him  follow  his  brother. 
"  Beg  or  borrow  a  sword,  my  child,"  she  said  ;  "  or  you  will  find 
one.  Some  coward,  I  dare  say,  will  be  running  away.  Then  take 
his  gun  and  march  forward." 

9.  At  Earnest  a -ble,  the  only  child  of  a  farmer  joined  a  compa 
ny  that  was  about  to  march  to  Cambridge.  As  they  passed  the 
father's  house  on  leaving  the  village,  he  came  forth  and  said  :  "  God 
be  with  you  all,  my  friends  !  and,  John,  if  you,  my  son,  are  called 
into  battle,  take  care  that  you  behave  manfully,  or  else  let  me  never 
see  your  face  again."  This  was  the  spirit  everywhere.  Twenty 
thousand  patriots  were  soon  in  arms  around  Boston. 


1TT5]  THE  GREEN  MOUNTAIN  BOYS.  95 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  When  did  the  war  break  out?  What  was  it  called ?  What  was  done 
by  the  British  Parliament  in  1775  ?  What  had  General  Gage  already  done  ?  How  did 
the  patriots  get  their  cannon- and  ammunition  out  of  Boston? — 2.  Where  did  the 
patriots  collect  most  of  their  stores  ?  What  movement  was  made  by  General  Gage  ? 
What  did  the  British  hear,  as  they  advanced  towards  Concord  ? — 3.  What  place  did  the 
British  reach  soon  after  daylight  ?  What  took  place  at  Lexington  ? — 4.  Where  did  the 
British  then  go  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  skirmish  at  Concord  Bridge.  What  did  the 
British  destroy  ?  What  had  been  done  with  most  of  the  stores  ? — 5.  How  did  Mr. 
Wheeler  save  a  large  quantity  of  flour  ? — 6.  Describe  the  retreat  of  the  British  to  Boston. 
What  alone  enabled  them  to  reach  the  city  ? — 7.  What  effect  did  the  news  of  the  battle 
of  Lexington  produce  ?  Describe  the  scene  represented  in  the  engraving. — 8.  What  story 
is  told  of  a  mo^r  and  her  two  sons  ?— 9.  Relate  the  incident  at  Barnstable. 


.  LESSOR  XXIX. 

CAPTURE   OF    TICONDEROGA.-ETHAN  ALLEN. 

1.  The  spirit  of  resistance  was  not  confined  to  New  England. 
In  Virginia,  the  governor  thought  it  prudent  to  take  refuge  on  a 
British  vessel.     The  governors  of  North  and  South  Carolina  were 
also  obliged  to  flee.     Just  a  month  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  a 
meeting  was  held  at  Charlotte,  North  Carolina.     The  people  there 
went  so  far  as  to  declare  themselves  independent  of  the  King,  and 
said  they  would  maintain  their  freedom  with  their  lives.     This  was 
the  first  Declaration  of  Independence. 

2.  Ticonderoga,  an  important  fort  on  Lake  Champlain,  was  gar 
risoned   by  British  soldiers.     Ethan  Allen  and  his  brave  Green 
Mountain  Boys  resolved  to  capture  this  post.     The  Green  Moun 
tains  are  in  Yermont ;  and  the  hardy  pioneers  of  this  region  called 
themselves  Green  Mountain  Boys.     They  assembled  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake,  opposite  Ticonderoga,  without  the  garrison's  suspecting 
that  any  foe  was  near. 

3.  One  of  the  party  went  to  the  fort,  pretending  to  be  an  awk- 


96  CAPTURE   OF  TICOXDEROGA.  [1715 

ward  country  boy,  who  wanted  to  be  shaved.  After  learning  all 
he  could  about  the  place,  he  returned  to  his  companions.  In  the 
night  they  commenced  crossing,  but  there  were  not  boats  enough  to 
carry  all  the  men  over.  As  daylight  approached,  Allen,  not  daring 
to  wait  for  any  more,  led  his  men  up  to  the  fort.  As  ho  drew  near, 
a  sentinel  snapped  his  gun  at  the  party  ;  but  it  missed  fire.  He 
then  ran  into  the  fort  to  raise  an  alarm,  closely  followed  by  the 
Americans. 

4.  The  frightened  soldiers  leaped  from  their  beds,  but  it  was 
only  to  find  themselves  prisoners.     The  commanding  officer  rushed 
to  the  door  of  his  quarters  in  his  night-clothes,  followed  by  his  wife.' 
Allen,  pointing  to  his  men,  bade  him  surrender.     "  By  what  au 
thority,"  he  asked,  "  do  you  command  it  ?  "     "  In  the  name  of  the 
great  Jehovah  and  the  Continental  Congress,"  was  Allen's  reply. 
There  was  no  help  for  it.     The  fort  was  surrendered,  with  its  stores, 
powder,  and  cannon — all  of  which  were  much  needed  by  the  patriots. 

5.  Ethan  Allen  soon  after  planned  an  invasion  of  Canada.    Try 
ing  to  take  Montreal,  he  was  himself  taken  by  the  British.     They 
put  him  in  irons,  and  sent  him  over  to  England.     Here  he  was  in 
danger  of  being  hanged  as  a  rebel.     It  was  more  than  two  years  be 
fore  he  was  released.     Sent  from  place  to  place  as  a  prisoner,  he 
was  half  starved,  and  treated  with  insult  and  cruelty. 

6.  On  one  British  ship  he  was  treated  with  kindness,  and  well 
did  he  repay  it.     There  were  a  number  of  American  prisoners  on 
board,  and  some  of  them  formed  a  plan  to  kill  the  captain  and  seize 
on  the  ship  and  a  large  "sum  of  money  which  it  contained.    Having 
won  over  a  number  of  the  crew,  they  tried  to  get  Allen  to  join 
them.     But  he  indignantly  refused,  and  told  them  he  would  peril 
his  life  in  defence  of  the  captain  who  had  treated  them  all  so  well. 
Owing  to  his  threats  and  persuasions,  they  gave  up  the  plan. 


1TT5]  ETHAN  ALLEN.  97 

7.  Ethan  Allen  was  as  honest  as  he  was  brave.     He  once  gave 
his  note  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  a  person  whom  he 
owed.     "When  it  became  due,  he  could  not  pay  it.     He  was  sued, 
and  employed  a  lawyer  to  get  the  matter  put  off  till  he  could  raise 
the  money.     He  was  utterly  surprised  when  his  lawyer  rose  in 
court  and  denied  the  signature  of  the  note.     Rushing  up  to  him, 
he  cried  :  "  Sir,  I  didn't  hire  you  to  come  here  and  lie.     That's  a 
true  note.     I  signed  it,  and  I'll  pay  it.     I  want  no  shuffling.     All  I 
want  is  time."     He  obtained  the  time  he  wanted,  and  the  note  was 
paid. ,  i 

8.  The  very  day  on  which  Ethan  Allen  took  Ticonderoga  (May 
10th,  1Y75),  the  Continental  Congress  met  the  second  time  at  Phil 
adelphia.     They  prepared  for  war  in  earnest.     A  large  amount  of 
paper  money  was  issued.     George  "Washington,  of  whom  we  he*ard 
before  in  the  French  and  Indian  War,  was  elected  commander-in- 
chief.     He  hastened  to  Cambridge,  near  Boston,  to  take  command 
of  the  patriots  there  assembled.     Before  he   arrived,  however,  a 
large  number  of  fresh  troops  from  England  had  reached  Boston, 
and  an  important  battle  had  been  fought. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Where,  besides  in  New  England,  was  the  spirit  of  resistance  shown?  ! 
What  took  place  in  Charlotte,  North  Carolina? — 2.  Where  was  Ticonderoga  situated?  ! 
Who  resolved  to  capture  it  ?  Why  were  Ethan  Allen's  party  called  Green  Mountain  | 
Boys  ?  Where  did  they  assemble  ? — 3.  How  did  they  obtain  information  about  the  fort  ?  j 
Give  an  account  of  the  crossing.  What  took  place  as  they  approached  the  fort  ? — 4. 
What  did  the  soldiers  find,  when  they  leaped  from  their  beds  ?  What  passed  between  i 
Allen  and  the  commander  ?  What  was  the  result  ? — 5.  What  did  Ethan  Allen  soon  after  j 
plan  ?  What  success  did  he  meet  with  ?  What  did  the  British  do  with  him  ?  How  was  ' 
he  treated  ? — 6.  Tell  how  he  once  repaid  the  kindness  of  a  British  captain. — 7.  Relate  an 
anecdote  showing  Allen's  honesty. — 8.  What  took  place  the  same  day  on  which  Ticon 
deroga  was  captured?  What  preparations  were  made  by  Congress?  Who  was  elected 
comraander-in-chief  ?  To  what  place  did  Washington  hasten?  What  took  place  before 
Washington  reached  Cambridge  ? 
7 


98  BATTLE   OF  BUNKER  HILL.  [1775 

LESSOR  "XXX. 
BATTLE   OF   BUNKEft  HILL. 

1.  In  June,  1775,  (before  Washington  had  taken  the  chief  com 
mand)  ten  thousand  British  troops  lay  in  Boston.     Nearly  twice 
as  many  Americans  had  gathered  around  the  city.     But  they  were 
poorly  armed,  and  many  of  them  had  never  been  in  battle.     Hear 
ing  that  the  British  intended  fortifying  Bunker  Hill,  the  American 
general  determined  to  be  beforehand  with  him.     Accordingly,  that 
same  evening,  he  sent  Colonel  Frescott,  with  one  thousand  men,  to 
take  possession  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  throw  up  a  breastwork  of  earth 
for  its  defence. 

2.  The  men  worked  silently  with  their  pick-axes  and  spades  all 
night.     They   heard  the   British   sentinels   at   Boston   cry  "  All's 
well !  "     But  the  British  did  not  hear  them,  and  the  next  morning 
were  amazed  to  see  a  strong  intrenchment  commanding  the  city. 
A  battle  was  resolved  on.     The  flower  of  the  British  army  was  sent 
to  dislodge  the  Americans,  and  the  British  ships  in  the  harbor 
opened  a  fire  on  the  hill.     The  roofs  and  steeples  of  Boston  and  the 
country   around  were  filled  with  anxious  spectators. 

3.  Twice  the  British  troops  charged  up  the  hill.    The  Americans 
had  been  ordered  to  wait  till  they  saw  the  whites  of  the  enemies' 
eyes,  and  then  to  fire  low  and  not  waste  their  powder.     They  .obey 
ed  the  order,  and  twice  the  British  veterans  recoiled  before  them. 
Fresh  troops  were  then  brought  up,  and  a  third  attack  was  made. 
Unfortunately,  the  powder  of  the  Americans  now  gave  out.     They 
received  the  British  with  stones  and  clubbed  muskets.     But  it  was 
useless  to  resist,  and  a  retreat  was  ordered. 

4.  As  they  were  leaving  the  works,  General  "Warren,  a  distin- 


1TT5] 


FALL  OF  WARREN. 


0!) 


guished  patriot,  fell  mortally  wounded.  Prescott  had  offered  him 
the  command  in  the  morning.  He  declined  it,  saying  he  had  come 
to  learn,  and  served  in  the  ranks  as  a  private.  The  British  general 
rejoiced  at  his  fall,  saying  it  was  worth  that  of  five  hundred  ordi 
nary  soldiers. 

5.  Though  driven  from  their  ground,  the  Americans  had  greatly 
the     advantage     at 

Bunker  Hill.  They 
lost  less  than  half  as 
many  men  as  the 
British,  and,  if  their 
ammunition  had  last 
ed,  would  doubtless 
have  remained  mas 
ters  of  the  field.  A 
splendid  monument 
has  since  been  raised 
near  the  spot  where 
Warren  fell,  to  com 
memorate  this  bat 
tle. 

6.  Among  those 
who   did  good  ser 
vice  at  Bunker  Hill 
was   Gen.    Putnam. 
He    was  ploughing 
when   he   heard   of 
the  battle  of  Lexing 
ton.      Leaving     his 
plough  in  the  field, 


Bunker  Hill  Monument. 


100  STORIES  OF  PUTNAM.  [1775 

without  even  waiting  to  change  his  clothes,  he  mounted  his  horse 
and  galloped  off  for  Cambridge.  He  had  served  in  the  French  and 
Indian  "War,  and  was  nearly  sixty  years  old  ;  but  he  was  strong  and 
brave  as  ever. 

7.  Putnam's  farm  was  in  Connecticut.     Here,  when   a  young 
man,  he  was  much  troubled  by  a  cunning  wolf  that  prowled  about 
the  country,  destroying  what  she  could,  and  always  escaping  the 
hunters.     In  one  night  she  killed  seventy  of  his  sheep  and  goats. 
Putnam  and  several  of  his  neighbors  resolved  to  hunt  her  to  the 
death.     They  tracked  her  to  her  den,  which  was  a  deep  cavern,  and 
tried  to  drive  her  out  by  throwing  in  burning  straw  and  sulphur ; 
but  in  vain.     The  dogs  were  then  sent  in.     They  soon  came  out 
howling  and  badly  wounded,  and  refused  to  return. 

8.  At  last,  Putnam  threw  off  his  coat,  tied  a  rope  to  one  of  his 
legs,  and  with  a  torch  in  one  hand  and  his  loaded  gun  in  the  other, 
descended  into  the  den.    His  companions,  who  were  anxiously  listen 
ing  above,  soon  heard  an  angry  growl  and  the  sharp  crack  of  a  mus 
ket.    They  drew  Putnam  up.     Again  he  descended,  and  this  time, 
on  being  drawn  up,  he  had  the  dead  wolf  by  the  ears. 

9.  Many  a  thrilling  scene  had  "  old  Put ",  as  his  friends  called 
him,  passed  through.    He  once,  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  and  not  with 
out  some  dreadful  burns,  saved  Fort  Edward  from  being  consumed, 
and  the  magazine  from  exploding.     At  another  time,  he  was  cap 
tured  by  a  party  of  Indians,  who  prepared  to  torture  him.     They 
tied  him  to  a  tree,  piled  up  fagots  around  him,  and  set  them  on  fire. 
A  thunder-shower  put  out  the  flames.    Again  they  lighted  the  pile. 
Hope  had  died  in  Putnam's  bosom,  when  a  French  officer  burst 
through  the  bushes,  hurled  the  savages  right  and  left,  scattered  the 
blazing  wood,  and  released  the  prisoner. 

10.  Shortly  before  the  Revolution,  General  Gage,  in  Putnam's 


1TT5]  INVASION  OF  CANADA.  101 

presence,  expressed  the  opinion  that  five  thousand  British  veterans 
could  march  from  one  end  of  America  to  the  other  unharmed.  "  So 
they  might,"  replied  Putnam,  "  if  they  behaved  themselves  prop 
erly,  and  paid  for  what  they  wanted.  But  should  they  attempt  it 
as  enemies,  the  American  women  would  knock  them  on  the  head 
with  their  ladles." 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  In  June,  1775,  how  many  British  troops  lay  in  Boston?  How  many 
Americans  had  gathered  around  the  city  ?  What  movement  was  contemplated  by  the 
British  ?  In  view  of  this,  what  was  done  by  the  American  general  ? — 2.  What  was  accom 
plished  by  the  Americans  during  the  night?  What  did  the  British  see  in  the  morning? 
What  measures  were  taken  by  the  British? — 3.  Give  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill. — 4.  Who  was  killed,  as  the  Americans  were  leaving  the  works  ?  Whnt  had  passed 
between  Warren  and  Colonel  Prescott?  How  did  the  British  general  feel,  when  he 
heard  of  Warren's  fall? — 5.  Which  party  had  the  advantage  in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill? 
What  monument  has  since  been  raised  ? — 6.  Who  did  good  service  at  Bunker  Hill  ?  How 
was  Putnam  employed  when  he  heard  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  ?  What  did  he  do  ?  In 
what  war  had  he  served?  How  old  was  he  at  this  time? — 7,  8.  Tell  the  story  of  Putnam 
and  the  wolf. — 9.  What  did  Putnam  once  do  at  the  risk  of  his  life  ?  Give  an  account  of 
his  rescue  from  the  Indians  by  a  French  officer. — 10.  What  anecdote  is  related  of  Putnam 
and  General  Gage  ? 


LESSOI  XXXI. 

INVASION   OF    CANADA.— SIEGE  OF   BOSTON. 

1.  Ethan  Allen  had  failed  to  take  Montreal.  This  did  not  pre 
vent  Congress  from  carrying  on  the  invasion  of  Canada.  They 
hoped  the  Canadians  would  join  in  the  Revolution.  Besides,  they 
wanted  to  secure  a  large  amount  of  stores  deposited  at  Quebec. 
General  Montgomery  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  invading  force. 
Before  long,  St.  John's  and  Montreal,  two  important  posts,  had 
surrendered.  Quebec  remained.  But  the  American  soldiers  had 
enlisted  for  a  certain  time ;  this  time  was  up.  Most  of  them  in- 


102  MONTGOMERY'S  ATTACK   ON  QUEBEC.  [1775 

sisted  on  returning,  and  Montgomery  was  left  with  but  a  small  part 
of  his  force. 

2.  Just  at  this  time,  Benedict  Arnold  was  leading  a  body  of 
Americans  to  join  their  countrymen  in  Canada.     They  were  push 
ing  their  way  through  the  northern  part  of  Maine,  a  pathless  wil 
derness,  and  came  near  perishing  from  cold,  sickness,  and  hunger. 
On  one  occasion,  they  had  eaten  their  last  ox,  their  last  dog,  and 
had  nothing  but  roots  and  their  moose-skin  moccasins  to  live  on, 
when  they  were  relieved  by  the  arrival  of  timely  supplies. 

3.  Joined  by  this  heroic  band,  Montgomery  lost  no  time  in  lay 
ing  siege  to  Quebec.     But  his  few  small  cannon  could  make  no  im 
pression  on  its  strong  walls.     At  last,  it  was  resolved  to  storm  the 
place.     The  attack  was  made  by  Montgomery  and  Anold  at  differ 
ent  points.     It  was  a  desperate  attempt  to  make  with  only  nine 
hundred  effective  men. 

4.  In  spite  of  a  blinding  snow-storm,  the  Americans  advanced 
bravely  to  the  assault.     But  it  was  in  vain.     Montgomery  was  shot 
down  at  the  head  of  his  men.     Arnold  was  disabled  by  a  bullet  in 
the  leg.     The  muskets  of  many  of  the  Americans  were  rendered 
useless  by  the  snow.     One  party  were  obliged  to  surrender  on  the 
spot.     The  rest  continued  the  siege  till  they  heard  that  a  powerful 
British  army  was  approaching.     Then  they  hastily  retreated  ;  and 
soon  all  Canada  was  again  in  the  hands  of  the  British. 

5.  The  King  and  Parliament  found  it  was  not  so  easy  to  con 
quer  "  the  rebels  "  as  they  had  expected.    So  they  sent  to  Germany, 
and  hired  a  number  of  Hessians,  as  they  were  called,  to  come  and 
fight  for  them.     In  the  mean  time,  Congress  was  busy  in  collecting 
stores  and  buying  powder.     They  urged  Washington  to  attack  the 
British  at  Boston,  with  the  force  collected  under  his  command  at 
Cambridge.     But  ammunition  was  scarce  ;  the  men,  brave  as  they 


1T76]  SIEGE   OF  BOSTON".  103 

were,  needed  discipline  ;  so  that  Washington  did  not  think  it  pru 
dent  to  take  the  field  till  the  spring  of  1776. 

6.  Dorchester  Heights  command  the  city  and  harbor  of  Boston. 
Early  in  March,  General  "Washington  sent  a  body  of  men- by  night 
to  throw  up  intrenchments  there.    It  was  hard  work,  for  the  ground 
was  frozen.     The  Americans,  however,  plied  their  pick-axes  dili 
gently,  and  by  morning  had  raised  a  strong  breastwork  of  earth. 
"When  the  British  general  saw  what  had  been  done,  he  determined 
to  dislodge  the  enemy.     But  a  storm  set  in,  and  before  it  ceased 
the  Americans  had  fortified  themselves  so  strongly  that  he  was 
afraid  to  make  the  attempt. 

7.  As  the  cannon  on  Dorchester  Heights  swept  the  whole  of 
Boston,  the  British  army  had  to  leave,  or  evacuate,  the  city.     They 
sailed  away  in  their  ships,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  patriots.     Those 
who  had  remained  in  the  city  during  the  siege  had  suffered  much. 
Besides  being  insulted  and  maltreated  by  the  soldiers,  they  could 
hardly  get  food  to  eat  or  wood  to  keep  them  warm.     After  first 
sailing  to  the  north,  the  British  general  landed  his  men  on  Staten 
Island,  with  the  view  of  attacking  E"ew  York.     "Washington  had 
already  reached  the  city  and  prepared  for  its  defence. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  did  Congress  proceed  to  carry  on?  What  was  their  object  in 
invading  Canada  ?  To  whom  did  they  give  the  command  of  the  expedition  ?  What 
places  surrendered?  What  place  remained?  What  difficulty  .did  Montgomery  now 
meet  with  ? — 2.  Who  were  at  this  time  making  their  way  to  join  Montgomery  ?  Give  an 
account  of  the  sufferings  of  Arnold's  party. — 3.  When  this  party  arrived,  what  did  Mont 
gomery  do  ?  What  success  did  he  meet  with  in  the  siege  ?  At  last,  what  desperate  resolve 
was  formed  ? — 4.  Give  an  account  of  the  attack  on  Quebec.  What  *ras  one  party  of  the 
Americans  obliged  to  do?  What  was  done  by  the  rest?  How  long  did  they  remain 
before  Quebec  ? — 5.  Whom  did  the  King  and  Parliament  hire  to  fight  for  them  in  America? 
In  the  mean  time,  what  was  Congress  doing  ?  What  did  they  urge  Washington  to  do  ? 
Why  was  he  unwilling  to  attack  the  British?  When  did  he  take  the  field? — 6.  What 
was  Washington's  first  movement  ?  What  did  the  British  general  determine  to  do  ? 


104 


BRITISH  ATTACK  ON  CHARLESTON. 


[1T76 


What  prevented  him  from  making  the  attempt? — 7.  "What  were  the  British  then  obliged 
to  do?  How  did  the  patriots  feel  at  this?  How  had  those  patriots  who  had  stayed  in 
Boston  suffered  ?  Where  did  the  British  go  ?  Who  had  preceded  them  ? 


- 

LESSOX  XXXII. 


ATTACK    ON    CHARLESTON.— DECLARATION    OF    INDEPENDENCE 


Sergeant  Jasper  raising  the  Hag  at  Fort  Moultrie. 


1.  In  June,  1776,  the  people  of  South  Carolina  heard  that  a 
strong  British  fleet,  with  a  large  army  on  board,  was  about  to  at- 


1TT6]  SERGEANT  JASPER'S  GALLANT  DEEDS.  ^          105 

tack  Charleston.  They  quickly  erected  a  fort  of  palmetto-wood  and 
earth,  and  garrisoned  it  with  brave  men  under  Colonel  Moultrie. 
They  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  the  enemy.  One  British  ship 
came  up  after  another,  and  soon  a  heavy  fire  was  opened  on  the 
fort.  But  it  did  little  harm.  Palmetto-wood  is  soft  ;  and  the  balls, 
instead  of  splitting  or  tearing  it,  sank  into  it  without  doing  any  in- 


2.  It  was  not  so,  however,  with  the  fire  from  the  fort.     This  did 
fearful  execution  on  the  British  ships.     At  one  time,  the  quarter 
deck  of  the  admiral's  vessel  was  cleared  of  every  man  except  the 
admiral  himself.     The  troops  on  board  landed,  and  tried  to  reach 
the  fort,  but  were  driven  back.     At  last,  having  kept  up  the  attack 
for  nine  hours  without  any  success,  the  British  were  obliged  to  re 
tire.     They  suffered  much  in  the  action  ;  the  Americans,  but  little. 

3.  In  the  midst  of  the  battle,  a  British  ball  struck  the  flag-staff 
of  the  fort.     The  flag  was  carried  away,  and  fell  in  front  of  the  fort, 
on  the  beach.     Then  a  brave  heart  showed  its  courage.     Sergeant 
Jasper,  amid  the  balls  that  rained  from  the  British  vessels,  leaped 
over  the  rampart,  ran  along  the  beach,  and  secured  the  flag.     Then 
fastening  it  to  the  sponge-staff  of  a  cannon,  he  again  raised  it  over 
the  fort  amid  the  cheers  of  his  companions.     After  the  battle,  Gov 
ernor  Rutledge  presented  him  his  own  sword  for  this  gallant  deed. 

4.  Jasper  was  afterwards  of  great  service  to  the  American  army. 
He  acted  as  a  scout,  and  brought  them  information  about  the  British. 
He  was  once  scouting  with  a  single  companion,  when  he  saw  a 
party  of  ten  British  soldiers  taking  some  prisoners  to  Savannah.    It 
was  said  that  the  prisoners  were  to  be  hung,  and  Jasper  determined 
to  save  them.     For  some  time  the  two  Americans  kept  on  the  track 
of  the  party,  without  seeing  any  chance  of  attempting  a  rescue.    At 
last  they  drew  near  Savannah.     Two  miles  from  the  city  was  a  fa- 


106  ^  DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE.  [I7TC 

mous  spring,  and  here  the  British,  with  their  prisoners,  stopped  for 
a  drink. 

5.  Two  of  the  party  were  left  on  guard,  while  the  rest  laid  aside 
their  gnus  and  went  down  to  the  spring..    This  was  the  moment 
Jasper  and  his  companion  had  waited  for.     Shooting  down  the  sol 
diers  on  duty,  and  knocking  over  several  others  with  their  clubbed 
muskets,  they  obtained  possession  of  the  loaded  guns  of  the  British. 
The  latter  had  to  yield  to  their  two  brave  enemies.     The  rescued 
Americans  were  then  unbound,  and  armed  with  the  guns  of  their 
guard  ;  and  Jasper  and  his  men  marched  off  in  triumph  with  their 
prisoners. 

6.  The  4-th  of  July  is  always  kept  as  a  great  holiday  in  the 
United  States.     Do  you  know  why  it  is  kept  ?     Because  on  the  4th 
of  July,  1YT6,  the  Continental  Congress  adopted  a  Declaration  of 
Independence.     Up  to  this  time  they  had  hoped  that  the  King  and 
Parliament  would  give  up  their  unjust  claims.     In  that  case,  they 
would  have  laid  down  their  arms,  and  remained  subjects  of  Great 
Britain.     But  now,  following  the  example  set  by  the  brave  people 
of  Charlotte,  they  said  the  King  should  rule  over  them  no  more. 
They  boldly  declared  their  independence,  and  pledged  their  lives 
and  fortunes  for  its  support.     After  this,  the  thirteen  colonies  were 
called  "  the  Thirteen  United  States  of  America  ". 

7.  While  Congress  was  discussing  the  Declaration,  the  streets 
of  Philadelphia  were  filled  with  crowds,  anxious  to  know  what  it 
would  do.     When  the  old  bell-ringer  pealed  the  bell  of  the  state- 
house,  as  a  signal  that  the  bill  had  passed,  their  joy  knew  no  bounds. 
Bonfires  were  lighted,  and  houses  illuminated.     In  New  York,  the 
people  showed  their  delight  by  pulling  down  a  great  leaden  statue 
of  the  King,  and  moulding  it  into  bullets  to  fire  against  his  soldiers. 
In  Boston,  the  Declaration  was  read  at  a  public  meeting,  amid  the 


11T6] 


INDEPENDENCE  HALL. 


107 


cheers  of  thousands.  Here  is  a  picture  of  Independence  Hall,  in 
Philadelphia,  the  building  in  which  Congress  met  and  the  Declara 
tion  of  Independence  was  signed. 


QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  did  the  people  of  South  Carolina  hear  in  June,  1776  ?  What  did 
they  do,  on  learning  this?  What  soon  appeared?  What  was  the  effect  of  the  British 
fire  on  the  fort?— 2.  What  was  the  effect  of  the  fire  from  the  fort  ?  What  is  said  of  the 
admiral's  vessel?  What  attempt  was  made  by  the  troops?  How  long  did  the  British 
keep  up  the  attack  ?  What  was  the  result  ? — 3.  What  gallant  deed  was  performed  by 
Sergeant  Jasper  in  this  battle  ? — 4,  5.  Tell  the  story  about  Jasper's  rescuing  some  Ameri 
can  prisoners  near  Savannah. — 6.  Why  is  the  4th  of  July  kept  as  a  holiday  ?  What  had 
Congress  hoped?  On  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  what  did  Congress  do?  After  this,  what 


108  BATTLE  OF  LONG  ISLAND.  [1TT6 

were  the  thirteen  colonies  styled? — 7.  What  took  place  in  Philadelphia,  while  Congress 
was  discussing  the  Declaration  ?  How  was  the  news  that  the  Declaration  had  passed  re 
ceived  in  New  York  ?  How,  in  Boston  ?  What  is  represented  in  the  engraving  ? 


LESSON  IXXIII. 

BATTLE   OF    LONG  ISLAND. 

1.  In  the  slimmer  of  1776,  New  York  became  the  centre  of  the 
war.     General  Howe  was  now  the  British   commander.     Besides 
the  men  who  had  been  driven  from  Boston,  he  had  many  fresh 
troops  just  from  Europe.     Among  the  rest  were  a  large  number  of 
Hessians.     "With  these  he  advanced  on  New  York  by  way  of  Long 
Island.     The  Americans  had  thrown  up  fortifications  at  the  west 
end  of  the  island,  opposite  New  York,  where  the  city  of  Brooklyn 
now  stands.     Nine  thousand  men  were  sent  over,  to  keep  the  Brit 
ish  in  check. 

2.  The  British  army  advanced  in  three  divisions.     One  of  these, 
making  a  circuit  over  the  hills,  managed  to  get  behind  the  advanced 
detachments  that  had  been  thrown  out  by  the  Americans.     "While 
the  patriots  were  busily  engaged  with  the  enemy  in  front,  they  were 
dismayed  to  hear  a  firing  in  their  rear.     They  soon  saw  that  they 
were  surrounded.     A  few  fought   their  way  through  the  British, 
and  reached  the  American  lines.    Many  fell ;  a  still  greater  number 
were  made  prisoners.     Howe  advanced  to  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  fortifications,  but,  instead  of  attacking  them,  waited  for  his 
fleet  to  come  up. 

3.  During  the  battle,  Washington  crossed  from  New  York.    He 
saw  his  best  troops  falling,  without  the  power  to  help  them.     He 
could  only  hope  to  save  those  who  remained  by  a  timely  retreat. 
On  the  third  night  after  the  battle,  while  Howe  was  still  waiting 


1776]  HOWE'S  ATTEMPTS  AT   CONCILIATION.  109 

for  Ms  fleet,  the  whole  American  army  embarked  in  boats,  and, 
with  their  baggage  and  stores,  were  conveyed  to  New  York.  A 
thick  fog  concealed  their  movements ;  the  boats  were  rowed  with 
muffled  oars  ;  and  the  British  had  no  idea  of  what  was  going  on  till 
the  Americans  were  beyond  their  reach. 

4.  A  woman  living  near  the  river  saw  the  Americans  embark 
ing,  and  sent  a  negro  to  inform  the  British.     Fortunately,  he  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Hessians,  who  could  not  understand  what  he 
said.     Had  it  not  been  for  this,  the  whole  army  might  have  been 
captured.     The  battle  of  Long  Island  was  most  disastrous  to  the 
American  cause.     Numbers  deserted  from  the   army ;  and  many 
who  were  before  in  doubt  which  side  to  join,  now  decided  in  favor 
of  the  King. 

5.  On  first  approaching  the  city,  Howe  had  sent  a  letter  to 
Washington,  for  the  purpose  of  conciliating  the  Americans.    Wash 
ington  refused  to  receive  it,  because  Howe  would  not  acknowledge 
him  as  commander  of  the  American  army.     After  the  battle  of 
Long  Island,  Howe  made  a  second  attempt.     A  committee  of  Con 
gress  met  him.     They  found  he  had  no  authority  to  recognize  their 
independence,  but  could  only  grant  them  pardon,  and  receive  them 
back  as  subjects  of  Great  Britain.     They  wanted  no  pardon,  and 
were  determined  never  to  be  subjects  of  Great  Britain.    So  nothing 
was  effected. 

6.  Some  of  the  people  of  New  York  were  opposed  to  the  Revo 
lution.     They  were  called  Tories,  while  those  who  favored  it  were 
known  as  "Whigs.     While  Washington  was  in  New  York,  about  this 
time,  several  tories  formed  a  plot  to  poison  him.     They  bribed  one 
of  his  guard  to  put  some  arsenic  in  a  dish  of  peas  prepared  for  his 
dinner.     The  plot  was  revealed  to  Washington  through  a  young 
girl  who  had  overheard  it. 


110  ATTEMPT  TO  POISON  WASHINGTON.  [1TTG 

7.  To  discover  the  guilty  party,  Washington  had  a  trusty  soldier 
disguised  as  a  servant,  and  sent  him  into  the  kitchen  to  watch  the 
peas.     He  had  not  been  there  long,  before  he  saw  one  of  his  com 
rades  come  anxiously  to  the  door  and  look  in.     Presently  he  enter 
ed,  and  hesitating,  as  if  horror-struck  at  the  act,  sprinkled  a  pow 
der  in  the  pot  in  which  the  peas  were  cooking.     Washington  was 
at  once  informed  of  this.     At  dinner,  when  he  had  seated  himself 
among  his  officers,  he  asked  them  to  wait  for  a  moment,  and  ordered 
in  his  guard. 

8.  Fixing  his  eyes  on  the  guilty  man,  he  put  a  spoonful  of  peas 
on  his  plate,  and  asked  him,  "  Shall  I  eat  of  these ?  "     "I  don't 
know,"    stammered   the  man,  turning  deadly  pale.     Washington 
took  some  on  his  knife,  and  again  asked,  "  Shall  I  eat  of  these  ?  " 
The  man  could  not  say  a  word,  but  raised  his  hand  as  if  to  prevent 
it.     A  chicken  was  brought  in,  and  fed  with  some  of  the  peas  ;  it 
died  on  the  spot.     This  proved  that  they  had  been  poisoned.     The 
man  was   carried  fainting  from  the  room,  and  Washington  was 
saved. 

9.  This  same  year,  a  British  sloop-of-war  put  into   the   island 
called  Martha's  Yineyard.     It  was  in  want  of  a  spar,  and  the  only 
stick  of'  timber  there  that  would  answer  the  purpose  was  a  liberty- 
tree,  erected  by  the  patriots.     This  tree  the  captain  said  he  must 
have  ;  but  three  brave  girls,  not  yet  sixteen  years  old,  said  he  should 
not  have  it.     The  night  before  it  was  to  be  cut  down,  they  went  in 
the  dark,  bored  several  holes  in  the  tree,  and  filled  them  with  gun 
powder.     Then,  lighting  a  slow-match,  they  blew  the  tree  to  pieces. 
So  his  Majesty's  sloop-of-war  had  to  go  without  a  spar. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Where  did  the  war  centre  in  1776  ?  Who  was  now  the  British  com 
mander  ?  What  troops  had  Howe  ?  In  what  direction  did  he  advance  on  New  York  ? 
What  preparations  had  the  Americans  made  on  Long  Island  ? — 2.  Give  an  account  of 


1776]  WASHINGTON'S  RETREAT  FROM  NEW  YORK.  Ill 

the  battle  of  Long  Island.  After  the  battle,  why  did  not  Howe  attack  the  American  for 
tifications? — 3.  Who  crossed  to  Long  Island  during  the  battle  ?  Tell  how  Washington 
saved  the  army. — 4.  How  did  the  British  come  near  learning  that  the  Americans  were 
embarking  ?  What  was  the  effect  of  the  battle  of  Long  Island  ? — 5.  What  had  Howe  done 
on  first  approaching  New  York  ?  How  were  his  advances  met  ?  What  passed  between 
Howe  and  a  committee  of  Congress  after  the  battle? — 6.  Who  were  called  Tories,  and 
who  Whigs  ?  What  plot  was  formed  by  the  Tories  ?  How  did  Washington  hear  of  it  ? 
— 7.  What  measures  were  taken  by  Washington  to  discover  the  guilty  party? — 8.  What 
passed  at  dinner  ? — 9.  Tell  the  story  about  the  sloop-of-war  that  put  into  Martha's  Vineyard. 


ESSOI 


LESSOR  XXXIY. 

WASHINGTON'S    EETEE AT. -TRENTON.— PRINCETON. ' 

1.  "We  left  Washington  in  New  York.     His  army  was  discour 
aged  by  the  defeat  on  Long  Island.     One-fourth  of  the  men  were 
sick.     He  could  not  hope  to  repel  the  British,  who  were  preparing 
to  cross  from  Long  Island  and  attack  the  city.     The  only  course  left 
him  was  to  retreat,  and  accordingly  he  drew  off  his  men  to  the 
north.     The  British  immediately  took  possession  of  the  city.     They 
retained  it  till  the  end  of  the  war.     Howe,  with  most  of  the  army, 
kept  on  in  pursuit  of  Washington. 

2.  Washington  hardly  felt  strong  enough  to  risk  a  battle.     He 
retreated  as  the  enemy  advanced,  but  so  slowly  that  frequent  skir 
mishes  took  place.     At  last  a  battle  was  fought  at  White  Plains, 
without  any  decided  advantage  to  either  party.     After  this,  Wash 
ington  took  his  army  across  the  Hudson  River  to  N~ew  Jersey,  leav 
ing  nearly  three  thousand  of  his  best  men  in  Fort  Washington. 
The  British  made  a  spirited  attack  on  this  post,  and  the  garrison 
had  to  surrender.     Washington  is  said  to  have  wept,  as  from  the 
other  side  of  the  river  he  saw  his  men  falling  beneath  the  British 
bayonets. 


112 


WASHINGTON'S   RETREAT. 


[17T6 


3.  The  loss  of  Fort  Washington  and  its  garrison  was  the  heavi 
est  blow  the  patriots  had  yet  received.     Lord  Cornwallis  \corn-wol' - 
Us]  immediately  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the  American  army,  now 
much   reduced   in  size.     Sadly   this  little   band   retreated   across 
New  Jersey.      Many  of  them,  ragged  and  barefooted,  left   their 
blood-stained  tracks  on  the  frozen  ground.     The  British  pressed  on 
hotly  in  pursuit.     But  Washington  reached  the  Delaware  River, 
secured  all  the  boats  for  many  miles,  and  went  over  into  Pennsyl 
vania  with  his  suffering  men.     Unable  to  cross  the  Delaware,  Corn 
wallis  resolved  to  wait  till  it  should  be  frozen  over.     Dividing  his 
army,  he  stationed  detachments  at  Trenton,  Princeton,* and  other 
points. 

4.  Washington  now  saw  he  must  do  something  to  encourage  his 
men.     He  resolved  to  cross  the  Delaware  and  surprise  a  large  body 
of  Hessians  stationed  at  Trenton.     Christmas  night  was  chosen  for 
the  attempt,  as  a  time  when  they  would  likely  be  carousing,  and 


off  their  guard.     The  night  was  dark  and  bitterly  cold.     The  Dela- 


17T6]  BATTLES  OF  TRENTON  AND  PRINCETON.  113 

ware  was  full  of  ice.  Part  of  the  Americans,  however,  succeeded 
in  getting  across.  They  completely  surprised  the  Hessians,  a  thou 
sand  of  whom  at  once  threw  down  their  arms. 

5.  Washington  durst  not  remain  at  Trenton,  for  he  knew  the 
British  from  the  posts  around  would  soon  be  upon  him.     So  he  im 
mediately  recrossed  into  Pennsylvania  with  his  prisoners.     On  the 
opposite  page  you  see  him  and  his  men  toiling  through  the  snow. 
In  gaining  this  glorious  victory,  he  lost  only  four  men,  two  of  whom 
were  frozen  to  death.     The  British,  who  had  thought  the  Revolu 
tion  was  almost  at  an  end,  now  found  they  were  mistaken. 

6.  A  few  days  after  this  victory,  "Washington  again  crossed  the 
Delaware  to  Trenton.     Cornwallis,  anxious  for  a  battle,  soon  made 
his  appearance.     Night  was  near  at  hand,  and,  after  some  skirmish 
ing,  both  parties  rested  on  their  arms.     Washington  felt  he  was  no 
match  for  Cornwallis,  and  determined  to  disappoint  him.     Leaving 
his  fires  burning,  and  posting  a  sentinel  here  and  there,  to  deceive 
the  enemy,  he  noiselessly  withdrew  his  men  in  the  night,  and  march 
ed  to  Princeton,  to  surprise  the  British   stationed   there.     When 
Cornwallis  woke  the  jnext  morning,  he  could  see  no  enemy.     He 
had  been  outgeneralled. 

7.  Washington  did  not  surprise  the  British  at  Princeton,  for  he 
met  them  already  on  the  march  to.  join  Cornwallis.     A  battle  en 
sued.      At  first  the  Americans,  having  no  bayonets,  gave  way. 
But  Washington  placed  himself  before  the  advancing  British,  and 
his  men  rallied  to  support  their  beloved  chief.     The  British  were 
repulsed.     Washington  had  gained  another  victory.     He   led  his 
men,  exhausted  as  they  were  by  want  of  food  and  sleep,  to  Morris- 
town,  and  there  fixed  his  winter-quarters. 

8.  Washington's  men  suffered  much  at  Morristown  from  cold 
and  sickness,  during  the  winter  of  1777.     The   small-pox   broke 

8 


114  WINTER-QUARTERS  AT   MORRISTOWN.  [1TT7 

out  among  them,  and  many  died.  The  people  of  the  place  were 
true  patriots,  and  did  all  they  could  to  relieve  the  suffering  soldiers. 
They  gave  them  the  best  they  had,  saying,  "  Nothing  is  too  good 
for  those  who  fight  for  our  country."  Washington  sent  out  several 
expeditions  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  and  recovered  nearly  the 
whole  of  Jersey. 

9.  Cornwallis's  army  was  much  larger  than  "Washington's.  It 
was  feared  if  he  knew  this,  he  would  fall  upon  Morristown.  So  the 
Americans  had  recourse  to  a  stratagem  to  deceive  him.  There  was 
a  man  in  the  camp,  whom  they  suspected  of  being  a  British  spy. 
A  false  statement  was  made  out  of  the  men  and  ammunition  at 
Morristown,  representing  the  Americans  as  much  better  off  than 
they  really  were.  An  officer,  as  if  by  chance,  left  the  paper  on  a 
table  by  which  the  suspected  spy  was  sitting,  and  went  out  for  a 
few  moments.  On  his  return,  both  the  paper  and  the  spy  were 
missing.  They  no  doubt  found  their  way  to  Cornwallis,  and  misled 
him  as  to  the  strength  of  the  Americans. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  was  the  state  of  the  American  army  in  New  York  after  the  battle 
of  Long  Island  ?  What  was  Washington  obliged  to  do  ?  What  then  became  of  New 
York  ?  What  course  did  Howe  pursue  ? — 2.  Describe  Washington's  movements.  Where 
did  a  battle  take  place ?  With  what  result?  What  did  Washington  then  do?  What 
took  place  at  Fort  Washington? — 3.  What  followed  the  fall  of  Fort  Washington? 
Describe  the  retreat  of  the  American  army  across  New  Jersey.  How  did  Washington 
save  his  men  ?  What  did  Cornwallis  do,  on  arriving  at  the  Delaware  ? — 4.  What  was 
the  next  movement  of  Washington  ?  What  time  was  chosen  for  the  attempt,  and  why  ? 
Give  an  account  of  the  surprise  of  the  Hessians  at  Trenton. — 5.  What  was  done  by  Wash 
ington  after  the  surprise  at  Trenton  ?  How  many  men  had  he  lost  ? — 6.  A  few  days 
afterwards,  what  movement  did  Washington  make  ?  Who  soon  appeared,  to  give  him 
battle  ?  Toll  how  Washington  disappointed  Cornwallis. — 7.  What  took  place  at  Prince 
ton  ?  Where  did  Washington  fix  his  winter-quarters  ? — 8.  From  what  did  the  Ameri 
cans  suffer  at  Morristown?  How  did  the  people  of  the  place  treat  them?  What  did 
Washington  accomplish  during  the  winter  ? — 9.  Relate  the  stratagem  by  which  Cornwallis 
was  misled  as  to  the  strength  of  the  Americans. 


ITTT]  BURGOYNE'S  CAMPAIGN.  115 


LESSON  my. 

BUKGOYNE'S    CAMPAIGN. 

1.  In  1777,  another  powerful  British  army  took  the  field,  under 
the  command  of  General  Burgojne.     Starting  from  Canada,  Bur- 
goyne  invaded  the  state  of  New  York.     On  the  bank  of  Lake 
Champlain,  he  gave  a  great  war-feast  to  a  number  of  Indians,  many 
of  whom  joined  his  army.     Ticonderoga  and  Port  Edward  were 
taken  in  succession.     The  Americans  who  had  garrisoned  these 
posts  fell  back  as  Burgoyne  advanced.    To  delay  his  march,  bridges 
were  broken  down,  and  the  roads  obstructed. 

2.  The  northern  American  army  was  commanded  by  General 
Sclmyler  [ski'-ler].     One  night,  when  the  general  was  preparing  to 
retire  to  bed  in  his  own  house,  a  servant,  passing  into  the  room, 
caught  a  glimpse  of  a  figure  concealed  behind  theMoor.     Pretend 
ing  not  to  notice  it,  she  managed  to  tell  her  master  in  an  undertone 
what  she  had  seen.     An  alarm  was  raised.    The  party  fled,  but  was 
overtaken  by  the  guard.     It  was  an  Indian,  who  had  hidden  him 
self  behind  the  door  to  murder  the  general. 

3.  Before  leaving  Canada,  Burgoyne  had  sent  a  large  detach 
ment  to  overrun  the  western  part  of  New  York.     This  force  met 
with  a  brave  resistance  at  Fort  Stanwix.     The  American  general, 
Herkimer,  advanced  with  some  militia-men  to  relieve  this  fort.     He 
fell  into  an  ambuscade,  and,  early  in  the  action,  received  a  wound 
in  the  leg.     Seated  on  a  hillock,  he  continued  to  give  his  orders. 
"While  the  enemy's  balls  were  falling  round  him,  he  coolly  drew  his 
pipe  from  his  pocket,  lighted  it,  and  commenced  smoking,  while  he 
directed  the  movements  of  his  men.    They  fought  bravely,  but  were 
utterly  defeated. 


116  BATTLE  OF  BENNIXGTON.  [1717 

4.  The  fort  still  held  out,  and  Arnold,  with  a  detachment  from 
Schuyler's  army,  undertook  to  relieve  it.     When  a  short  distance 
from  the  British,  Arnold  contrived  to  get  a  report  spread  among 
them  that  a  large  body  of  Americans  was  within  a  few  hours'  march 
of  their  camp.     A  panic  seized  them,  and  regulars,  tories,  and  Indi 
ans,  were  soon  in  full  flight.     Tents,  baggage,  provisions,  and  artil 
lery,  were  left  behind.     The  besieging  force  was  broken  up,  and  the 
fort  was  saved. 

5.  A  second  detachment  was  sent  by  Burgoyne  to  Bennington, 
Vermont,  to  capture  the  stores  deposited  there.     General  Stark  met 
them  wTith  some  brave  inilitia-men,  hastily  collected.     When  he 
saw  the  British  forming  for  battle,  Stark  thus  addressed  his  troops : 
"  See,  men  !    There  are  the  red-coats.     We  must  beat  them  to-day, 
or  Molly  Stark's  a  widow  !  "     And  they  did  beat.     Six  hundred  of 
the  British  were  taken  prisoners. 

6.  Among  Stark's  men  was  a  minister,  who  wanted  to  fight,  but 
had  conscientious  scruples  about  doing  so  till  he  had  invited  the 
enemy  to  surrender.     So,  going  near  their  camp  before  the  battle, 
lie  commenced  preaching  to  them,  and  urging  them  to  lay  down 
their  arms.     A  volley  of  musketry  was  the  reply.     "  Now  give  me 
a  gun,"  said  the  minister  to  a  friend  who  had  accompanied  him. 
The  way  he  handled  his  gun  in  the  battle  showed  that  he  had  quite 
got  over  his  conscientious  scruples. 

7.  Burgoyne  had  depended  much  on  these  two   expeditions. 
Their  failure  was  a  severe  blow.     The  Indians  became  discouraged 
and  departed.     The  tories  were  afraid  to  join  him.     Provisions  be 
came  scarce.     The  Americans  carefully  removed  their  cattle  and 
every  thing  that  could  be  of  use  to  his  army.     Mrs.  Schuyler,  by 
her  husband's  orders,  set  fire  to  her  own  fields  of  grain,  to  prevent 
their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.    Here  you  see  her  apply- 


mr] 


FIRST   BATTLE   OF  STILLWATER. 


117 


ing  the  torch.     Meanwhile,  the  farmers  of  New  York  and  New 
England  were  pouring  into  the  American  camp. 


8.  Just  at  this  time,  Congress  unjustly  removed  Schuyler  from 
the  command  of  the  northern  army,  and  appointed  General  Gates 
in  his  stead.     Gates  determined  to  make  a  stand  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Hudson,  and  erected  fortifications  there.     Burgoyne  could 
go  no  farther  without  giving  battle.     This  he  resolved  to  do.     On 
the  19th  of  September,  1777,  the  first  battle  of  Stillwater  was 
fought.    The  action  was  most  severe  and  lasted  till  night.     Though 
neither  party  gained  a  decided  victory,  the  Americans  had  the  ad 
vantage. 

9.  Burgoyne  was  now  in  greater  danger  than  ever.     lie  had 
sent  for  aid  to  the  British  general  at  New  York,  but  had  received 
no  answer.     Again  he  must  either  starve  or  fight.     He  resolved  on 


118  BURGOYNE'S  SURRENDER.  [17T7 

another  engagement,  and  on  the  7th  of  October  the  second  battle 
of  Stillwater  took  place.  This  time  the  Americans  were  completely 
victorious.  Morgan,  with  his  riflemen,  and  Arnold,  whom  you 
have  heard  of  before,  repelled  the  furious  charges  of  the  British,  and 
drove  them  from  their  ground.  In  vain  Burgoyne  strove  to  rally 
his  men.  The  Americans  were  left  in  possession  of  the  Held. 

10.  As  soon  as  night  set  in,  Burgoyne  fell  back  on  Saratoga. 
He  hoped  to  be  able  to  retreat.  But  it  was  too  late ;  he  was 
hemmed  in  on  all  sides.  His  messages  to  General  Clinton  were 
still  unanswered.  ISTo  other  course  was  left  than  to  surrender. 
This  he  did.  All  his  men,  nearly  six  thousand  in  number,  laid 
down  their  arms,  and  gave  up  their  baggage,  cannon,  and  ammu 
nition  at  Saratoga.  What  rejoicings  there  were  throughout  the 
country  over  the  glorious  news  that  Burgoyne's  great  army  had 
surrendered  to  the  "  rebels  "  it  had  come  to  crush  ! 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  In  1777,  who  led  another  British  army  into  the  field  ?  What  state 
did  Burgoyne  invade  ?  What  did  he  do  on  the  bank  of  Lake  Champlain  ?  What  posts 
were  taken  ?  What  did  the  Americans  do  as  Burgoyne  advanced?— 2.  Who  commanded 
the  northern  American  army  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  attempt  to  murder  General 
Schuyler. — 3.  What  detachment  had  been  sent  out  by  Burgoyne  ?  Where  did  this  de 
tachment  meet  with  a  brave  resistance  ?  Give  an  account  of  General  Herkimer's  attempt 
to  relieve  Fort  Stanwix. — 4.  Who  then  undertook  to  relieve  the  fort  ?  Relate  Arnold's 
stratagem. — 5.  Where  did  Burgoyne  send  another  detachment  ?  By  whom  were  they 
met?  How  did  Stark  address  his  men  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Benning. 
ton  ?— 6.  Relate  the  story  about  the  conscientious  minister. — 7.  What  effect  did  the  failure 
of  these  expeditions  have  ?  What  is  related  of  Mrs.  Schuyler?  How  was  the  American 
army  increased? — 8.  What  change  was  now  made  in  the  command  of  the  northern 
army  ?  What  did  Gates  determine  to  do  ?  What  was  the  consequence  ?  Give  an  ac 
count  of  the  first  battle  of  Stillwater. — 9.  What  was  now  Burgoyne's  condition  ?  Give 
an  account  of  the  second  battle  of  Stillwater. — 10.  What  was  Burgoyne's  next  movement? 
What  was  he  finally  obliged  to  do?  What  were  surrendered  at  Saratoga? 


1TTT]  BATTLES  OF  BRAND  TWINE   AND   GERMANTOWN.  119 


LESSOX  XXXYI. 

BEANDYWINE.— GEEMANTOWN.— VALLEY  FORGE. 

1.  "While  these  events  were  going  on  in  the  north,  Washington 
was  trying  to  keep  General  Howe  in  check.     Unable  to  bring 
"Washington  to  an  engagement  in  New  Jersey,  Howe  had  put  to 
sea  with  eighteen  thousand  men.    He  landed  about  fifty  miles  from 
Philadelphia,  and  commenced  marching  towards  that  city.     Con 
gress  was  in  session  at  Philadelphia,  and  Washington  wanted  to 
save  the  city  if  he  could.     He  had  only  eight  thousand  men  fit  for 
service,  but  with  these  he  met  the  British  at   Brandywine.     The 
Americans  were  defeated.     Congress  had  to  leave  Philadelphia. 
Howe  entered  the  city  in  triumph. 

2.  Among  those  who  fought  bravely  at  Brandywine  was   La 
Fayette  \l-ah  fa-ei/~\.     This  young  French  noble  had  left  his  home 
and  friends,  and  come  over  to  help  the  Americans  fight  for  freedom. 
His  family  objected  to  his  coming.     But  La  Fayette,  without  their 
knowledge,  bought  a  vessel,  and  with  a  few  noble  hearts  like  him 
self  succeeded  in  reaching  America.     Congress  made  him  a  gene 
ral,  and  he  became  the  bosom  friend  of  Washington. 

3.  The  British  were  now  in  pleasant  quarters  in  and   around 
Philadelphia.     A  large  division  was  stationed  at  Germantown,  six 
miles  from  the  city.     This  force  Washington  tried  to  surprise,  Oc 
tober  4th,  1777.     At  first  victory  inclined  to  the  Americans.     But 
some  of  the  men  failed  to  obey  orders,  and  a  thick  fog  arose,  which 
gave  the  British  a  chance  to  rally.     The  Americans  were  defeated 
with  considerable  loss.     Cold  weather  soon  set  in,  and  Washington 
led  his  men  into  winter-quarters  at  Yalley  Forge,  about   twenty 
miles  from  Philadelphia. 


120 


VALLEY   FORGE. 


[1177 


4.  An  amusing  incident  took  place  at  the  battle  of  Germantown. 
General  Greene,  who  commanded  one  division  of  the  Americans, 
had  by  his  side  a  major,  who  wore  his  hair  down  his  back  in  a  cue. 
While  the  firing  was  at  its  height,  a  bullet  carried  off  the  major's 
cue.     "  Don't  be  in  a  hurry,  major,"  said  Greene  ;  "just  get  down 
and  pick  up  your  cue."     The  major  very  coolly  did  so.     Presently 
another  ball  came  along,  and  cut  off  one  of  General  Greene's  curls. 
"  Now,  general,"  said  the  major,  "  it's  your  turn.     Just  dismount 
and  get  your  curl."     But  the  general  preferred  letting  his  curl  go. 

5.  Washington's   men  suffered  intensely  at  Valley  Forge.     A 
great  part  of  them  could  not  move  out  of  their  huts  for  want  of 
clothes.     Many  had  no  shoes.     Some  were  without  blankets,  and 
had  to  rest  at  night  in  their  rags  on  the  bare,  frozen  ground.     Sick 
ness  set  in.     Food  could  hardly  be  obtained.     Most  of  the  people 


The  American  Army  at  Valley  Forge. 


1TT7]  BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN.  121 

in  the  neighborhood  were  tones,  who  sold  their  produce  to  the  Brit 
ish  at  high  prices.  Washington  had  no  gold  or  silver,  and  the  pa 
per  money  issued  by  Congress  was  worth  but  little.  This  was 
indeed  a  trying  hour. 

6.  There  were  some  kind  hearts,  however,  that  felt  for  the  poor 
American  soldiers.     One  devoted  woman,  Mary  Knight,  used   to 
cook  provisions  for  them,  and  carry  them  herself  to  the  camp  in  the 
depth  of  winter,  disguised  as  a  market-woman,  that  she  might  pass 
the  British  outposts.     Her  brother  was  a  general  in  the  American 
army.     The  British  set  a  price  upon  his  head  ;  but  this  brave  wo 
man  saved  him  by  heading  him  up  in  an  empty  cider  hogshead  in 
the  cellar,  and  feeding  him  through  the  bunghole.    He  stayed  there 
three  days,  and  the  British  searched  the  house  four  times  for  him 
without  success. 

7.  While  things  looked  thus  gloomy,  a  joyful  piece  of  news 
reached  the  camp.     It  was  that  France  had  acknowledged  the  inde 
pendence  of  the  United  States,  and  would  help  them  against  Eng 
land.     This  was  brought  about  chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  Benja 
min  Franklin.     This  great  man  was  the  son  of  a  candle-maker.     In 
his  youth,  his  father  employed  him  in  cutting  wicks  and  filling 
candle-moulds.     But  he  longed  for  knowledge.     He  would   even 
deny  himself  sleep  that  he  might  read  and  study.     After  learning 
the   art   of  printing,  he  left  his  home   and  set  out  to  make  his 
fortune. 

8.  Franklin  found  himself  in  Philadelphia  with  a  single  dollar 
in  his  pocket.     For  a  time  he  had  hard  work  to  get  along.     But  he 
was  very  frugal.     He  lived  on  gruel ;  and,  when  his  landlady  in 
formed  him  she  could  not  afford  to  board  him  any  longer  at  the 
price  he  was  paying,  he  told  her  she  must  make  the  gruel  thinner. 
Franklin  became  a  great  writer  and  philosopher.     His  name  was 


122  BATTLE   OF  MOXMOUTH.  [1778 

honored  in  Europe,  and  in  his  own  country  he  was  revered  as  a 
true-hearted  patriot. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  While  Burgoyne  was  conducting  his  campaign,  what  was  Washington 
trying  to  do  ?  What  movements  had  been  made  by  Howe  ?  How  many  men  had  each 
general?  Where  did  they  meet?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Brandy  wine? — 
— 2.  Who  is  mentioned  as  fighting  bravely  at  Brandy  wine  ?  What  is  said  of  this  young 
French  noble  ? — 3.  Where  was  a  large  division  of  the  British  stationed  ?  What  attempt  did 
Washington  make  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Germantown.  Where  did  Wash 
ington  lead  his  men  into  winter-quarters  ? — 4.  What  amusing  incident  took  place  during  the 
battle  of  Germantown  ? — 5.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  American  army  at  Valley 
Forge  ?  What  made  it  hard  for  them  to  get  provisions  ? — 6.  How  did  Mary  Knight 
help  the  American  soldiers?  How  did  she  preserve  her  brother? — 7.  Amid  the  general 
gloom,  what  joyful  news  was  received  ?  By  whose  efforts  had  this  been  brought  about? 
What  is  said  of  the  youth  of  Benjamin' Franklin? — 8.  On  reaching  Philadelphia,  what 
did  Franklin  find?  What  passed  between  him  and  his  landlady?  How  was  Franklin 
regarded  ? 


;• 

LESSOX  XXXVII. 

MONMOUTH.— WYOMING.— MOVEMENTS  IN  THE  SOUTH. 

1.  In  the  spring  of  1778,  Howe  returned  to  England,  and  Gene 
ral  Clinton  took  command  of  the  British  forces.    Clinton  had  orders 
to  evacuate  Philadelphia  and  lead  his  men  to  New  York.     To  do 
this,  he  had  to  cross  New  Jersey.     "Washington  was  soon  in  pur 
suit.     His  army  was  not  half  so  large  as  Clinton's,  and  most  of  his 
officers  thought  it  would  be  imprudent  to  risk  an  engagement. 
Washington  thought  otherwise ;  and  at  Monmouth,  New  Jersey,  he 
gave  battle  to  Clinton. 

2.  General  Lee  was  to  commence  the  attack  with  an  advanced 
division.     What  was  Washington's  dismay,  when,  on  coming  up 
with  the  main  force,  he  found  this  division  retreating  without  hav 
ing  struck  a  blow.     He  at  once  stopped  them,  and  posted  his  men 


MASSACRE  OF  WYOMING.  123 

in  such  a  way  that  the  British  were  checked.  The  action  continued 
till  night  with  advantage  to  the  Americans.  They  rested  on  their 
arms,  expecting  to  renew  the  battle  in  the-  morning.  Washington 
slept  on  the  field  in  his  cloak.  But,  when  day  dawned,  no  British 
were  to  be  seen.  They  had  silently  departed  for  !N"ew  York. 

3.  On  the  day  of  the  battle  the  heat  was  intense.     Many  of  the 
British  soldiers  died  from  its  effects.  When  Monmouth  is  mentioned, 
the  name  of  Molly  Pitcher  must  not  be  forgotten.    Her  husband 
served  at  one  of  the  American  cannon.     While  she  was  bringing 
him  water  from  a  spring,  a  ball  struck  him,  and  he  fell.     There  was 
no  one  to  manage  his  gun.     Springing  forward,  she  took  his  place, 
and  performed  her  duty  in  the  most  heroic  manner.     Washington 
appointed  her  a  sergeant  in  the  army,  and  she  was  afterwards  well 
known  as  "  Captain  Molly  ". 

4.  The  Indians,  bribed  by  the  British,  had  from  time  to  time 
during  the  war  given  trouble  on  the  frontier.     In  the  summer  of 
ITT 8,  in  company  with  a  band  of  tories,  they  made  a  descent  on 
Wy-o'-ming.     This  was  a  nourishing  settlement  in  a  lovely  valley 
in  Pennsylvania.     Most  of  the  men  were  away,  fighting  for  their 
country.     Those  who  remained,  hearing  of  their   danger,  quickly 
armed  themselves,  and  assembled  in  a  fort  with  the  women  and 
children.     When  the  tories  and  Indians  were  near  the  fort,  they 
sent  word  to  the  officer  in  command  to  come  out  and  confer  with 
them. 

5.  Taking  some  of  his  men  as  a  guard,  he  did  as  they  requested, 
but  was  immediately  attacked.     Most  of  the  party  were  cut  off. 
The  next  day,  the  enemy  surrounded  the  fort.     After  holding  out 
till  most  of  his  men  had  fallen,  the  commander  surrendered,  on  the 
promise  that  those  within  should  be  spared.     But  no  sooner  were 
the  tories  and  Indians  admitted  than  they  commenced  killing  all 


124  MOVEMENTS  IX  THE  SOUTH.  [1TT8 

they  met.     Some  even  murdered  their  own  relatives.     "Wyoming 
was  a  ruin.     Few  of  its  once  happy  people  escaped  the  massacre. 

6.  Late  in  the  year  1778,  the  British  commenced  operations  in 
the  south.     They  took  Savannah,  and  overran  the  eastern  part  of 
Georgia,  robbing  the  whig  families,  and  spreading  terror  in  their 
path.    A  French  fleet  containing  a  body  of  troops  having  arrived  off 
the  coast,  General  Lincoln  hastened  to  join  them  in  attacking  Sa 
vannah.     The  French  would  not  wait  to  besiege  the  city  ;  so  it  was 
resolved  to  storm  it.     Though  the  attack  was  bravely  made,  the 
Americans  and  French  were  driven  back  with  loss.     The  brave 
Jasper  lost  his  life  in  trying  to  save  the  flag  of  his  regiment. 

7.  The  patriots  of  the  south  suffered  a  still  more  serious  reverse 
the  next  year.    A  strong  force  of  British  collected  around  Charleston, 
which  was  defended  by  General  Lincoln,  with  a  large  army.     The 
Americans  held  out  till  their  houses  were  nearly  battered  down  by 
the  British  cannon,  but  were  obliged  to  yield  at  last.    Five  thousand 
men,  with  stores  and  artillery,  thus  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

8.  One  of  the  British  posts  in  Georgia  was  held  by  a  Captain 
French,  with  forty  men  and  five  vessels.     Colonel  White,  with  four 
men,  set  out  to  capture  them.     Near  the  British  post  they  kindled 
a  number  of  fires,  as  if  a  large  camp  were  there,  and  then,  quickly 
riding  round,  gave  various  orders  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice,  as  if  they 
were  directing  the  movements  of  a  large  army.     They  completely 
deceived  Captain  French,  who  thought  there  was  no  use  of  attempt 
ing  to  resist  such  a  host,  and  surrendered  his  men  and  vessels. 

9.  But  how  were  the  five  men  to  secure  their  prisoners  ?    There 
was  danger  that  the  latter  would  discover  the  artifice,  and  over 
whelm  them  with  numbers.     So  Colonel  "White  told  them  that  his 
men  were  very  angry  at  the  British  on  account  of  their  outrages, 
and  that  they  had  better  keep  out  of  sight.     He  would  send  them 


m8]  PRIVATEERS.  125 

ahead  with  three  or  four  of  his  men  as  guides,  while  he  remained 
to  restrain  his  army.  Then,  hastening  off,  he  collected  the  militia 
of  the  neighborhood,  who  soon  overtook  the  others,  and  led  the 
British  in  triumph  to  the  nearest  American  post. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  In  1778,  what  change  was  made  in  the  command  of  the  British  army? 
What  orders  had  Clinton  ?  How  did  his  army  compare  with  Washington's  ?  Where  did 
they  meet? — 2.  Give  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Monmouth.  How  did  the  Americans 
and  Washington  pass  the  night  ?  What  did  they  find  in  the  morning  ? — 3.  Describe 
the  weather  on  the  day  of  the  battle.  Tell  the  story  of  Molly  Pitcher. — 4.  What  is  said 
of  the  Indians  on  the  frontier?  What  did  they  do  in  1778?  Where  was  Wyoming? 
What  preparations  were  made  by  its  inhabitants  ?  What  message  did  the  enemy  send 
to  the  commanding  officer? — 5.  What  befell  this  officer  and  his  guard  ?  What  followed? 
Give  an  account  of  the  massacre. — 6.  Where  did  the  British  commence  operations, 
towards  the  close  of  1778  ?  What  city  did  they  take  ?  By  whom  were  they  attacked  in 
Savannah  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  attack?  Who  lost  his  life  in  this  battle?— 7. 
What  serious  reverse  did  the  patriots  of  the  south  suffer  the  next  year  ?  What  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy  at  Charleston? — 8.  Relate  the  stratagem  practised  by  Colonel 
White  ? — 9.  How  did  White  secure  his  prisoners. 


LESsM  XXXYII1. 

PAUL  JONES.— FEANCIS   MARION. 

1.  On  the  ocean,  the  United  States  could  do  but  little  against 
the  great  navy  of  England.  Many  fast-sailing  little  vessels,  how 
ever,  were  armed  and  sent  out  by  private  persons.  They  were 
called  privateers.  Cruising  w^herever  there  was  a  chance  of  taking 
a  prize,  they  were  of  great  service  in  cutting  off  English  merchant- 
vessels,  capturing  stores,  &c.  Congress  managed  from  time  to  time 
to  procure  a  few  vessels.  These  were  intrusted  to  skilful  command 
ers,  who  gained  some  important  victories.  Among  the  most  famous 
of  these  commanders  was  Paul  Jones. 


126  PAUL  JOXES,  [1TT9 

2.  Paul  Jones  was  the  son  of  a  Scottish  gardener.     From  early 
boyhood  he  was  fond  of  the  sea.     After  making  various  voyages, 
he  settled  in  Virginia.     When  the  Revolution  broke  out,  he  walked 
to  Philadelphia  and  offered  his  services  to  Congress.     They  were 
accepted,  and  he  had  the  honor  of  hoisting  the  first  flag  that  ever 
floated  over  an  American  man-of-war.     It  was  of  yellow  silk,  and 
bore  the  device  of  a  pine  tree  and  a  rattlesnake,  with  the  words 
Dorft  tread  on  me.     Jones  was  soon  off  to  JTova  Scotia,  running 
into  the  harbors,  destroying  the  shipping,  and  capturing  prizes. 

3.  Jones  afterwards  cruised  about  the  English  coasts,  to  repay 
the  enemy  for  their  outrages  in  American  ports.     He  was  so  suc 
cessful  in  his  descents  that  his  very  name  became  a  terror.     At  one 
point  of  the  coast,  when  his  dreaded  vessel  was  seen  in  the  offing, 
the  minister  went  down  with  his  congregation  to  the  shore,  and 
made  a  strange  but  fervent  prayer  for  deliverance.     Soon   after 
wards  the  wind  rose,  white  caps  appeared  on  the  sea,  and  Jones 
had  to  change  his  course, — owing,  as  the  people  believed,  to  their 
minister's  prayer. 

4.  Jones'  most  famous  battle  was  with  the  British  frigate  Ser'-a- 
pis  (September,  1779).     After  one  of  the  most  terrible  actions  ever 
fought,  the  British  struck  their  colors.     Finding  his  vessel  sinking, 
Jones  took  his  men  on  board  of  the  Serapis.     She  was  on  fire,  but 
he  succeeded  in  saving  her.     The  captain  of  the  Serapis  was  made 
a  knight  by  the  King  for  his  bravery  in  this  battle.     "  Well,  he  de 
served  it,"  said  Paul  Jones  ;  "  and,  if  I  fall  in  with  him  again,  I'll 
make  a  lord  of  him." 

5.  During  the  winter  of  1778-9,  General  Putnam  was  stationed 
with  some  troops  in  Connecticut.     Early  one  morning,  while  sha 
ving,  he  saw  in  the  looking-glass  a  body  of  red-coats  coming  up  the 
road.    Throwing  down  his  razor,  he  buckled  on  his  sword,  mounted 


1779] 


PUTNAM'S  ESCAPE. 


127 


his  horse,  and  roused  his  men.     But  they  were  too  few  to  oppose 
the  enemy,  and  the  order  was  given  to  retreat. 

6.  The  soldiers  fled  in  different  directions.  Putnam  found  him 
self,  hotly  pursued  by  some  dragoons,  at  the  top  of  a  steep  descent, 
consisting  of  about  a  hundred  steps,  cut  in  the  rock  for  the  conve 
nience  of  those  who  attended  church  on  the  hill.  Down  this  peril 
ous  descent  he  dashed,  turning  to  wave  defiance  at  the  dragoons, 
who  durst  not  follow.  They  fired  at  him,  but  he  escaped  with  a 
bullet  through  his  ^at. 


7.  We  left  the  British  in  possession  of  Savannah  and  Charleston- 
Sending  out  parties,  they  soon  overran  the  whole  of  South  Carolina. 
The  people  were  required  to  acknowledge  the  King's  authority.  But 


128  PARTISAN  WARFARE  IN  THE   SOUTH.  [1780 

even  those  who  did  so  were  often  robbed  and  driven  from  their 
homes.  Such  outrages  roused  many  of  the  brave  people  of  Caro 
lina.  They  formed  small  parties,  took  to  the  swamps  and  woods, 
and  resolved  to  fight  till  their  country  was  free.  Wherever  a  Brit 
ish  detachment  was  to  be  cut  oif,  or  a  band  of  tories  to  be  dispersed, 
they  appeared  when  least  expected.  They  often  went  into  battle 
with  only  three  charges  of  powder  apiece.  Some  were  without 
guns,  and  would  have  to  wait  for  those  of  their  companions  who  fell. 

8.  No  braver  men  ever  lived  than  the  leaders  of  these  parties. 
Among  them  were  Sumter,  called  from  his  courage  "  the  Carolina 
Game-cock  ",  and  Marion,  the  cunning  "  Swamp  Fox  ".     Marion 
was  one  of  the  heroes  of  the  palmetto  fort.    He  was  also  in  Charles 
ton  under  Lincoln,  and  escaped  being  taken  by  a  singular  accident. 
Shortly  after  the  enemy  appeared,  he  was  dining  with  some  friends, 
who  insisted  on  his  drinking  with  them  to  excess.     To  avoid  doing 
so,  he  jumped  to  the  street  from   the   second-story  window,  and 
broke  his  ankle.     Unfit  for  duty,  he  was  conveyed  from  the  city  by 
a  road  that  was  still  open,  and  thus  escaped  to  serve  his  country. 

9.  Marion  and  his  men  were  the  terror  of  the  British  and  tories. 
They  seemed  to  rest  neither  day  nor  night.     Making  their  home  in 
forests  which  the  enemy  could  not  penetrate,  they  lived  on  what 
scanty  food  they  could  there  procure.    A  British  officer  once  visited 
Marion,  to  arrange  for  an  exchange  of  prisoners.     He  was  invited 
to  stay  to  dinner,  and  presently  a  few  roasted  sweet  potatoes  were 
brought  in  on  a  shingle.     The  officer  could  hardly  believe  that  this 
was  all  his  dreaded  enemy  had  to  live  on.     On  his  return,  he  re 
signed  his  commission  in  the  British  army,  saying  that  such  men 
could  not  be  subdued. 

10.  The  high-souled  women  of  Carolina  did  their  part  also. 
They  trieU  to  provide  their  brave  defenders  with  clothes,  and  keep 


1780]  MARION  AND   HIS  MEN.  129 

them  informed  of  the  enemy's  movements.  To  save  a  party  of 
whigs,  a  Miss  Moore,  only  fifteen  years  old,  set  out  in  a  boat  at 
night,  with  her  little  brother  and  a  female  friend,  and,  after  rowing 
for  miles  at  the  risk  of  her  life,  delivered  her  message  and  returned. 
In  one  district,  a  company  of  young  women  went  round  in  harvest 
time  to  the  different  farms,  and,  wherever  they  found  that  the 
owner  was  away,  fighting  for  his  country,  they  cut  and  garnered 
his  grain. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  How  did  the  power  of  the  United  States  compare  with  that  of  England 
on  the  ocean  ?  What  are  privateers  ?  How  did  they  annoy  the  English  ?  Who  was 
among  the  most  famous  officers  employed  by  Congress  ? — 2.  Give  an  account  of  the  early 
life  of  Paul  Jones.  What  did  he  do  when  the  Revolution  broke  out?  What  honor  did 
he  enjoy?  Describe  this  flag.  What  was  Jones  soon  doing? — 3.  Where  did  Jones  after 
wards  cruise?  How  was  he  looked  upon?  What  happened  at  one  point  of  the  coast? 
— 4.  What  was  Jones' most  famous  battle?  What  was  the  result  of  the  engagement? 
What  honor  did  the  King  confer  on  the  commander  of  the  Serapis  ?  What  did  Jones 
say  ? — 5,  6.  Give  an  account  of  Putnam's  escape  from  the  dragoons. — 7.  What  state  was 
overrun  by  the  British  in  1780?  What  were  the  people  required  to  do  ?  What  outrages 
were  committed  ?  What  was  their  effect  ? — 8.  Name  two  famous  partisan  leaders.  Where 
had  Marion  served  ?  How  had  he  escaped  capture  at  Charleston  ? — 9.  What  is  said  of 
Marion  and  his  men  ?  Relate  the  story  of  Marion  and  the  British  officer. — 10.  How  did 
the  women  of  Carolina  help  their  defenders  ?  Tell  the  story  of  Miss  Moore.  What  was 
done  by  one  company  of  young  women  ? 


LESSON  XXXIX. 

HANGING  EOCK.-CAMDEN.— ARNOLD'S   TBEASON. 

1.  Marion  and  his  men  met  with  many  an  adventure.  The  fa 
mous  leader  was  once  nearly  surrounded  in  a  corn-field  by  British 
dragoons.  His  only  chance  of  escape  lay  in  leaping  a  fence  seven 
feet  high,  with  a  wide  ditch  beyond  it.  The  dragoons  thought  they 
had  caught  the  Swamp  Fox  at  last.  What  was  their  surprise,  when 


130 


MARION  AND   HIS  MEN. 


[mo 


his  horse  made  the  leap  in  gallant  style,  cleared  fence  and  ditch, 
and  bore  his  master  safely  off  into  an  adjoining  thicket ! 


Marion  and  his  Men. 

2.  Among  Marion's  bravest  followers  were  Colonel  Horry  and 
Captain  Baxter.     In  one  of  their  battles,  Baxter  cried  out,  "  I  am 
wounded,    colonel."      "  ~No    matter,   Baxter,"   answered   Horry ; 
"  stand  to  your  post."     "  But  I  can't  stand,"  said  Baxter  ; .  "  I  am 
wounded  a  second  time."     "  Lie  down,  then,  captain,  but  quit  not 
your  post."     "  They  have  shot  me  again,"  cried  Baxter  ;  "  and,  if 
I  stay  here  any  longer,  I  shall  be  shot  to  pieces."     "  Well,  Baxter, 
be  it  so,  but  stir  not,"  was  Horry's  reply  : — and  the  order  was  obey 
ed,  though  the  wounded  man  was  shot  a  fourth  time  during  the 
battle.  .    . 

3.  At  "last  Congress  sent  an  army  to  the  south,  under  General 


1780]  BATTLE   OF  CAMDEN.  .  131 

Gates.  Gates  marched  towards  Camden,  one  of  the  chief  posts  of 
the  British.  As  he  approached,  the  hopes  of  the  patriots  revived. 
A  number  of  farmers  took  the  field,  and  defeated  a  large  detach 
ment  of  the  enemy  at  Hanging  Rock. 

4.  The  powder  used  by  the  Americans  in  this  battle  had  been 
stored  in  a  house  occupied  by  one  of  the  patriots,  with  his  wife  and 
mother-in-law.     Shortly  before  the  battle,  a  party  of  British  sur 
rounded  the  house,  and  commenced  attacking  it.     The  two  women 
loaded  guns,  while  the  man  fired  them,  with  such  rapidity  that  the 
British  thought  a  large  body  of  troops  was  posted  there,  and  gave 
up  the  attack.     Thus  the  powder  was  saved. 

5.  On  the  15th  of  August,  1780,  Gates  drew  up  his  men,  and 
late  at  night  set  out  for  Camden  to  surprise  the  enemy.     Strangely 
enough,  the  British,  without  knowing  of  this  movement,  were  on  the 
march  to  surprise  Gates.     The  two  armies  met  and  joined  battle. 
Early  in  the  engagement,  some  of  the  Americans  gave  way,  and 
the  result  was  a  total  defeat.     Great  quantities  of  stores  were  taken 
by  the   British.     Gates  could  not  rally  his  men.     His  army  was 
completely  broken  up.     Shortly  after  this,  Congress  removed  Gates 
from  the  command  •  of  the  southern  army,  and  appointed  General 
Greene  in  his  stead. 

6.  The  whole  state  was  now  at  the  mercy  of  the  English.     Con 
gress  wanted  to  send  an  army  into  the  field,  but  could  not  do  so  for 
want  of  funds.     They  had  kept  issuing  paper  money  ;  and   now 
there  was  so  much  of  it  out  that  people  lost  faith  in  its  value,  and 
it  passed  for  very  little.     It  took  six  hundred  dollars  of  it  to  buy  a 
pair  of  boots.     The  pay  of  an  officer  would  hardly  keep  his  horse  in 
oats.    It  is  not  strange  that  Congress  found  it  hard  to  raise  soldiers. 

7.  Meanwhile,  Washington's    army   in    the   north   was   in    so 
wretched  a  state  that  he  could  do  nothing.     Every  thing  looked 


132  ARNOLD'S  TREASON.  [H80 

gloomy  ;  and,  to  make  matters  worse,  a  treacherous  blow  was  just 
at  this  time  aimed  at  the  patriot  cause.  Arnold,  whose  bravery  at 
Quebec  and  Stillwater  you  have  read  of,  became  a  traitor.  He  was 
in  command  of  a  strong  fortress  that  had  been  built  by  the  Ameri 
cans  at  West  Point.  This  post  he  offered  to  betray  to  the  British, 
on  condition  that  they  would  make  him  a  general  in  their  army, 
and  give  him  about  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

8.  Major  Andre,  an  accomplished  British  officer,  was  sent  up 
from  New  York  to  arrange  the  terms  with   Arnold.     He   came 
within  the  American  lines,  and,  having  agreed  with  the  traitor  and 
received  the  necessary  papers,  set  out  on  his  return.     "When  he  had 
almost  reached  the  British  outposts,  he  was  stopped  by  three  Amer 
ican  militia-men.     On  examining  him,  they  found  the  papers  in  his 
stockings.    Refusing  an  offer  of  ten  thousand  guineas  to  let  him  go, 
these  honest  patriots  took  their  prisoner  to  the  nearest  American 
post.     After  a  fair  trial,  he  was  hanged  as  a  spy. 

9.  Arnold  heard  of  Andre's  capture  in  time  to  escape  to  a  Brit 
ish  vessel.     Receiving  his  promised  rank  in  the  British  army,  he 
afterwards  showed  his  hatred  of  the  patriots  by  ravaging  different 
parts  of  the  country.     But  British  as  well  as  Americans  despised 
him.     He  enjoys  the  honor  of  being  the  only  traitor  in  the  Revolu 
tionary  War. 

10.  Washington  was  very  anxious  to  capture  the  traitor,  and  a 
plan  was  formed  for  that  purpose.     A  Yirginian  pretended  to  de 
sert,  and  joined  Arnold's  legion.     The  traitor's  quarters  were  then 
in  New  York,  near  the  Hudson  River  ;  and  the  plan  was  to  seize 
him,  gag  him,  and  take  him  in  a  boat  across  to  New  Jersey.     Be 
fore  it  could  be  done,  Arnold  changed  his  quarters.     He  was  after 
wards  sent  to  lay  waste  portions  of  Yirginia,  and  there  La  Fayette 
tried  to  capture  him,  but  without  success. 


1780]  BATTLE   OF  KING'S  MOUNTAIN.  133 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Give  an  account  of  Marion's  escape  from  some  British  dragoons. — 2. 
Tell  the  story  about  Horry  and  Baxter. — 3.  What  was  at  last  done  by  Congress  ?  Where 
did  Gates  march  ?  What  did  the  patriots  do  as  he  approached? — 4.  How  was  the  powder 
used  at  Hanging  Rock  saved? — 5.  What  was  the  date  of  the  battle  of  Camden?  What 
strange  coincidence  is  mentioned?  Give  an  account  of  the  battle.  What  followed? 
Who  superseded  General  Gates? — 6.  What  prevented  Congress  from  sending  another 
army  into  the  field?  What  difficulties  did  Congress  labor  under  ? — 7.  What  was  the  con 
dition  of  Washington's  army  in  the  north  ?  What  treacherous  WOAV  was  now  aimed  at 
the  patriot  cause  ?  What  post  did  Arnold  command  ?  What  offer  did  he  make  to  the 
British  ? — 8.  Who  was  sent  to  confer  with  Arnold  ?  What  took  place  while  Andre  was  re 
turning  ?  What  was  the  fate  of  Andre  ? — 9.  What  did  Arnold  do,  on  hearing  of  Andre's 
capture?  How  did  Arnold  afterwards  distinguish  himself  ?  How  was  he  looked  upon ? 
— 10.  What  plan  was  formed  for  capturing  Arnold?  How  was  it  defeated?  Who  sub 
sequently  tried  to  take  him  ? 


. 

LESSOR  XL. 

KING'S  MOUNTAIN.— COWPENS.— GUILFORD   COURT  HOUSE. 

1.  After  liis  victory  at  Camden,  Conrwallis  proceeded  to  reduce 
North  Carolina.     He  sent  a  detachment  to  the  mountains,  to  enroll 
the  tories  and  frighten  the  whigs.     But  the  whig  mountaineers 
were  not  easily  frightened.     They  made  powder  for  themselves  out 
of  the  nitre  they  found  in  the  caverns,  and  charcoal  burned  on  their 
own  hearths.     Giving  chase  to  the  British  detachment  mentioned 
above,  they  overtook  it  at  King's  Mountain,  and  made  the  whole 
party  prisoners  with  but  little  loss. 

2.  Greene,  on  assuming  command  of  the  southern  army,  stationed 
detachments   at   several  important   points.     One  of  these,  under 
General  Morgan,  was  attacked  at  Cowpens  by  Tarle'-ton,  a  British 
officer,  famous  for  his  courage  and  cruelty.    Tarleton's  men  charged 
with  their  usual  fierceness,  but  were  received  by  Morgan's  rifiemen 
so  firmly  that  they  wavered.     At  this  crisis,  a  charge  from  Colonel 


134  BATTLE  OF   COWPENS.  [1781 

Washington's  cavalry  decided  the  day.     The  British  were  defeated, 
with  the  loss  of  many  men,  and  much  of  their  baggage. 

3.  As  Colonel  Washington  was  charging  at  full  speed  in  this 
battle,  he  encountered  Tarleton.     Both  were  good  swordsmen,  but 
Tarleton  was  wounded,  and  had  to  turn  and  flee.     Soon  after  this, 
in  a  gay  company,  Tarleton  sneered  at  the  American  officers,  and 
said  above  all  he  should  like  to  see  that  famous  hero,  Colonel  Wash 
ington.     "  You  might  have  done  so,  colonel,"  answered  a  whig  lady 
who  was  present,  "  if  you  had  only  looked  behind  you  at  the  battle 
of  Cowpens." 

4.  Colonel  Washington  was  as  good  at  stratagem  as  he  was 
brave.     He  once  appeared  before  a  British  redoubt,  which  was  too 
strong  to  be  taken  without  artillery.     Having  no  cannon,  he  cut  a 
pine  log,  and  mounted  it  on  wheels  so  as  to  resemble  one.     Parad 
ing  this  in  front  of  his  force,  he  summoned  the  British  to  surren 
der.     The  stratagem  succeeded.     Frightened  by  Colonel  Washing 
ton's  pine  log,  they  laid  down  their  arms  without  delay. 

5.  Tarleton's  defeat  at  Cowpens  made  Cornwallis  very  angry. 
Setting  out  at  once  in  pursuit  of  Morgan,  he  reached  the  Catawba 
River  just  two  hours  after  the  Americans  had  crossed  it.     Night 
was  near  at  hand,  and  he  determined  to  wait  where  he  was  till 
morning.     During  the  night  a  rain  set  in,  and  swelled  the  river  so 
that  for  three  days  it  was  impassable.     Meanwhile,  Greene  had 
hastened  to  help  Morgan  conduct  the  retreat.     When  near  the 
army,  he  entered  an  inn,  drenched  with  rain  and  almost  in  despair. 
His  kind  hostess,  after  preparing  his  dinner,  brought  him  all  her 
money,  and  told  him  to  devote  it  to  the  cause  of  freedom. 

6.  Greene  continued  the  retreat  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  crossed 
the  Yadkin.     Before  the  British  arrived,  another  heavy  rain  com 
menced,  and   the  river  became  impassable.     Crossing  higher  up, 


1781]  BATTLE  OF  GUILFORD   COURT  HOUSE.  135 

Cornwallis  pressed  on  to  intercept  the  Americans  before  they  reach 
ed  the  Dan.  But  he  did  not  succeed.  The  Americans,  almost  sink 
ing  with  fatigue,  reached  the  ford  first,  and  got  across  in  safety. 
Here  Cornwallis  gave  up  the  pursuit.  We  can  hardly  form  an  idea 
of  the  hardships  suffered  by  the  Americans  in  this  retreat.  Their 
shoes  and  clothes  were  worn  out.  During  the  whole  time,  they  had 
eaten  but  one  meal  a  day,  and  had  slept  in  the  open  air. 

Y.  As  soon  as  his  men  were  rested,  Greene  again  took  the  field. 
He  followed  the  enemy  into  North  Carolina,  and  gave  them  battle 
at  Guilford  Court  House.  The  British  had  the  better  in  this  en 
gagement.  But  their  victory  was  so  dearly  bought  that  Cornwallis 
thought  it  prudent  to  fall  back.  He  soon  after  took  command  of 
the  detachment  that  had  been  sent  out  under  Arnold  to  ravage  Yir- 
ginia.  This  was  pleasant  work  for  Arnold,  Tarleton,  and  Cornwal 
lis.  They  managed  to  destroy  ten  million  dollars'  worth  of  property 
in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1Y81.  After  this,  Cornwallis  collected 
his  forces,  and  fortified  liimself  at  Yorktown,  Virginia. 

8.  Meanwhile,  Marion  and  Lee  were  busy  in  Carolina.     They 
took  one  British  post  after  another.     The  patriotism  of  Mrs.  Motte, 
a  noble  whig  lady,  is  worthy  of  being  remembered.     A  party  of 
British  had  seized  her  house.    Marion  and  Lee  were  besieging  them, 
when  they  heard  that  a  large  British  army  was  but  a  few  miles  off. 
Rather  than  have  them  give  up  the  attack,  Mrs.  Motte  insisted  on 
their  setting  fire  to  her  fine  house,  to  dislodge  the  enemy.     It  was 
done  ;  and  the  British  had  to  hang  out  a  white  flag  as  a  signal  of 
surrender. 

9.  Among  other  important  posts,  Georgetown  fell  before  Marion 
and  Lee.     In  the  attack  on  this  place,  the  Americans  had  driven 
the  enemy  from  an  enclosure,  and  the  latter  advanced  to  recover  it. 
"  Rush  on ! "  said  the  British  leader ;  "  they  are   only  worthless 


136  BATTLE   OF  EUTAW   SPRINGS.  [1781 

militia,  and  have  no  bayonets."  Sergeant  Ord  immediately  placed 
himself  in  the  gate  of  the  enclosure.  As  the  British  came  up,  he 
struck  down  one  after  another  with  his  sword,  crying*,  "  Any  bay 
onets  here  ?  None  at  all,  to  be  sure."  The  British  recoiled  before 
his  single  arm,  and  gave  up  the  attack. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  After  his  victory  at  Camden,  what  did  Cornwallis  proceed  to  do? 
What  was  done  by  some  whig  mountaineers  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  of 
King's  Mountain  ? — 2.  Whom  did  General  Greene  station  at  Cowpens  ?  By  whom  was 
Morgan  attacked  ?  Give  an  account  of  the"  battle. — 3.  Describe  the  encounter  between 
Colonel  Washington  and  Tarleton.  What  rebuke  did  Tarlcton  soon  after  receive  ? — 4. 
Give  an  account  of  Colonel  Washington's  stratagem. — 5.  What  was  done  by  Cornwallis 
on  hearing  of  Tarleton's  defeat  at  Cowpens  ?  How  were  the  Americans  saved"  at  the 
Catawba?  What  befell  General  Greene  about  this  time? — 6.  How  were  the  Americans 
saved  at  the  Yadkin  ?  After  crossing  the  Yadkin,  what  did  Cornwallis  try  to  do  ?  Did 
he  succeed  ?  What  is  said  of  the  hardships  of  the  Americans  ? — 7.  Where  was  the  next 
battle  fought  ?  What  was  its  result  ?  What  did  Cornwallis  think  it  best  to  do  ?  Where 
did  he  afterwards  go  ?  How  much  property  was  destroyed  by  the  British  in  Virginia? 
Where  did  Cornwallis  then  collect  his  forces  ? — 8.  What  were  Marion  and  Lee  now  doing? 
What  took  place  at  Mrs.  Motte's  ? — 1).  Kelate  an  incident  connected  with  the  attack  on 
Georgetown. 


LESSON  ILL 

EUTAW.— YORKTOWN.— CLOSE  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 

1.  After  the  battle  of  Guilford  Court  House,  Greene  marched 
into  South  Carolina,  against  the  army  which  Cornwallis  had  left 
there  to  keep  the  patriots  in  check.    He  met  with  a  reverse  at  Hob- 
kirk's  Hill,  but,  with  the  aid  of  Marion,  Lee,  Sumter,  and  Pickens, 
most  of  the  state  was  soon  recovered  from  the  British.     Greene  at 
last  gave  battle  to  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  at  Eutaw  Springs. 
Both  parties  fought  with  desperate  courage. 

2.  During  the  battle,  a  party  of  British  retired  into  a  brick 


1781]  ARRIVAL   OF  A  FRENCH  FLEET.  137 


dwelling,  and  closed  the  doors  so  quickly  as  to  shut  out  one  of 
their  own  officers.  As  the  Americans  came  up  to  the  attack,  he 
pompously  presented  himself  to  their  colonel,  enumerating  all  his  ti 
tles.  "  Sir,  I  am  deputy  adjutant-general  of  the  British  army,  sec 
retary  of  the  commander,  captain  of  the  52nd  regiment — " 
"  Enough,"  interrupted  the  colonel ;  "  you  are  just  the  man  I  was 
looking  for.  I'll  take  good  care  of  you  ; "  and  holding  his  prisoner 
between  himself  anfi  the  British  guns,  he  screened  his  person  till  he 
had  accomplished  what  he  wanted,  and  retired  out  of  danger. 

3.  The  British' gave  way  before  the  steady  courage  of  Greene's 
men.     Ike  latter,  thinking  the  battle  was 'over,  fell  upon  the  cap 
tured  stores.     Seeing  them  thus  employed,  the  enemy  rallied  and 
renewed  the  attack.     The  Americans  were  taken  by  surprise,  but 
Greene  succeeded  in  drawing  off  his  men  with  some  loss.    The  Brit 
ish  had  suffered  so  much,  that  the  next  day  their  commander  de 
stroyed  his  stores  and  returned  to  Charleston. 

4.  A  French  fleet,  sent  over  to  aid  the  Americans,  arrived  off 
the  coast  of  Virginia  in  the  summer  of  1781.    Washington  had  been 
threatening  the  British   army  in  New  York.     Now,  however,  he 
marched  rapidly  to  the  south,  to  join  the  French  in  surrounding 
Cornwallis.     General  Clinton,  who  commanded  in  New  York,  did 
not  discover  this  movement  till  it  was  too  late  to  prevent  it.    La  Fay- 
ette's  division  was  already  in  Virginia.     Towards  the  close  of  Sep 
tember,  the  French  and  American  armies  invested  Yorktown,  and  a 
heavy  fire  was  opened  from  their  batteries. 

5.  Breaches  were  soon  made  in  the  British  works.    Cornwallis 
tried  a  sally,  but  was  driven  back  into  his  fortifications.     He  then 
attempted  to  convey  his  men  by  night  across  the  York  River,  with 
the  intention  of  forcing  his  way  through  the  French  lines  at  the  op 
posite  point,  and  hastening  to  join  Clinton  at  New  York.     One  di- 


138 


SIEGE   OF  YORKTOWN. 


[1781 


vision  crossed  the  river  in  safety ;  but  a  furious  storm  set  in,  and 

the  rest  were  unable  to  join 
them.  Those  who  had  landed, 
after  a  severe  drenching,  were 
brought  back  in  the  morning, 
and  no  further  efforts  to  escape 
were  made. 

6.  Cornwallis's  only  hope 
now  lay  in  aid  from  Clinton. 
He  held  out  as  long  as  he  could ; 
but  the  allied  armies  brought 
their  batteries  closer  and  closer, 
and  on  the  19th  of  October  he 
found  it  necessary  to  surrender. 
Over  seven  thousand  British  sol- 


La  Fayctte. 


diers  laid  down  their  arms. 
Washington  generously  tried  to 
avoid  wounding  the  feelings  of 
the  enemy.  Before  they  ap 
peared  on  the  field,  he  rode  up  to  his  men,  as  they  were  drawn  up 
in  line,  and  said :  "  My  boys,  let  there  be  no  insults  over  a  con 
quered  foe.  When  they  lay  down  their  arms,  don't  .huzzah.  Pos 
terity  will  huzzah  for  you."  That  same  day,  Clinton  set  out  to  re 
lieve  Cornwallis,  with  a  strong  force  of  ships  and  men.  Learning 
that  he  was  too  late,  when  off  the  coast  of  Virginia,  he  sailed  back 
to  New  York. 

7.  The  news  of  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  was  everywhere 
hailed  with  delight.  The  old  state-house  bell  at  Philadelphia  rang 
to  announce  the  joyful  tidings.  Many  were  so  overcome  that  they 
could  only  weep.  The  aged  door-keeper  of  Congress  died  from  ex- 


1781]  END   OF  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR.  139 

cess  of  joy.  Washington  did  not  forget  to  ascribe  his  success  to  a 
merciful  Providence  ;  and  the  troops  united  in  returning  thanks  to 
the  God  of  battles. 

8.  The  surrender  of  Cornwallis  put  an  end  to  the  Revolutionary 
War.     The  King  and  Parliament  found  it  was  useless  to  try  to  con 
quer  men  who  would  fight  in  rags,  and  on  one  poor  meal  a  day, 
rather  than  lose  their  freedom.    Commissioners  from  both  countries 
met  at  Paris.    The  independence  of  the  United  States  was  acknowl 
edged  by  Great  Britain,'  and  peace  was  established.     The  British 
army  received  orders  to  evacuate  New  York,  and  this  was  done  on 
the  25th  of  November,  1783.     "  Evacuation  day  "  is  still  kept  in 
New  York. 

9.  While  the  American  army  was  lying  unemployed,  a  new 
danger  arose.    Both  officers  and  men  complained  loudly  of  Congress 
for  not  paying  them  according  to  agreement.     They  even  went  so 
far  as  to  threaten  violence,  and  offered  to  make  Washington  King. 
Grieved  at  the  display  of  such  a  spirit,  Washington  nobly  rejected 
their  offer ;  he  dissuaded  them  from  violence,  and  urged  Congress 
to  make  provision  for  meeting  their  demands. 

10.  On  the  establishment  of  peace,  the  army,  through  Washing 
ton's  efforts,  was  quietly  disbanded.     Many  a  poor  soldier  left  for 
home  without  a  penny  in  his  pocket.     In.  December,  1783,  Wash 
ington  took  leave  of  his  officers.    It  was  hard  for  those  to  part,  who 
had  labored  and  suffered  so  long  together.     With  a  full  heart,  one 
after  another  shook  the  hand  of  his  revered  commander.    Then,  sur 
rendering  his  commission  to  Congress,  the  great  leader  of  the  Revo 
lution  retired  to  private  life  at  Mount  Yernon,  on  the  bank  of  the 
Potomac. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Where  did  Greene  go  after  the  battle  of  Guilford  Court  House? 
Where  did  he  meet  with  a  reverse  ?    What  did  he  soon  succeed  in  doing  ?     Where  did 


140  WASHINGTON'S  VISIT  TO   HIS  MOTHER.  [1781 

he  give  battle  to  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  ? — 2.  Relate  an  anecdote  about  a.  British 
officer  at  Eutaw. — 3.  Give  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Eutaw.  What  was  done  by  the 
British  commander  the  next  day  ? — 4.  Where  did  a  French  fleet  appear  in  the  summer 
of  1781  ?  What  was  at  once  done  by  Washington?  Wrhose  division  was  already  in 
Virginia  ?  When  was  Yorktown  invested  ? — 5.  What  did  Cornwallis  first  try  ?  What  did 
he  then  attempt  ?  What  success  did  he  meet  with  ? — 6.  What  was  now  Cornwallis's  only 
hope  ?  When  did  he  find  it  necessary  to  surrender?  How  many  laid  down  their  arms  ? 
What  is  related  of  Washington  ?  Wrhat  did  Clinton  do  that  same  day? — 7.  How  was  the 
news  of  the  surrender  received  ?  What  took  place  at  Philadelphia  ? — 8.  What  did  the 
King  and  Parliament  now  find  was  useless  ?  Where  did  commissioners  meet  ?  What 
was  the  result  ?  What  orders  did  the  British  army  receive  ? — 9.  What  new  danger  arose 
while  the  American  army  was  lying  unemployed  ?  What  offer  did  they  make  Washing 
ton?  How  did  he  meet  it  ? — 10.  When  was  the  army  disbanded?  What  was  the  condi 
tion  of  many  of  the  soldiers  ?  Give  an  account  of  Washington's  parting  with  his  officers. 
After  this,  what  did  he  do  ? 


J^SCtf 


I  XLIL 


FOEMATION   OF   A    CONSTITUTION. 


1.  Shortly  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis,  "Washington,  ac 
companied  by  La  Fayette  and  other  officers,  went  to  visit  his  moth 
er.     Six  years  had  passed  since  they  had  met,  and  now  he  came 
the  nation's  idol.     While  a  great  procession  paraded  through  the 
place  in  honor  of  the  illustrious  visitors,  Mrs.  Washington  remained 
quietly  at  home,  preparing  her  yarn.     "  I  am  glad  to  see  you, 
George,"  were  her  first  words  when  Washington  entered  her  house  ; 
"  you  have  altered  considerably."     The  next  day  La  Fayette  called 
on  her,  and  spoke  in  glowing  terms  of  her  son's  greatness.     "  I  am 
not  surprised,"  she  answered,  "  for  George  always  was  a  good  boy." 

2.  The  war  had   ceased.     The  United  States  were  free.     But 
they  were  still  surrounded  with  great  difficulties.     They  owed  an 
immense  debt  to  foreign  governments,  as  well  as  to  their  own  sol- 


1783]  FORMATION  OF  A   CONSTITUTION.  141 

diers  and  officers.  How  was  this  to  be  paid  ?  Congress  had  no 
money,  and  no  power  to  raise  any  from  the  different  states,  which 
considered  themselves  independent,  and  looked  with  jealousy  on 
each  other  and  on  the  general  government.  England,  too,  com 
plained  that  her  merchants  could  not  collect  what  was  owed  to  them 
in  America.  It  seemed  at  one  time  as  if  the  war  would  be  renewed. 

3.  The  people  continued  to  suffer.     All  kinds  of  business  were 
dull.     The  taxes  laid  in  some  of  the  states,  though  light  in  them 
selves,  were  looked  upon  as  a  burden,  because  money  was  so  scarce. 
In  Massachusetts,  a  number  of  people  rose?  in  arms  and  resisted  the 
government.     Shays,  who  had  been  a  captain  in  the  [Revolution, 
took  command  of  them,  and  the  movement  was  called  Shays'  Re 
bellion.     For  a  time  they  gave  some  trouble  ;  but  the  militia  were 
called  out,  and  Shays  and  his  men  found  it  best  to  submit.     The 
ringleaders  came  near  being  hanged,  but  were  finally  let  off. 

4.  It  was  clear  that  some  stronger  government  was  needed. 
Accordingly,  a  meeting  of  delegates  from  each  state  was  called,  for 
the  purpose  of  drawing  up  a  constitution.     In  May,  178  T,  the  con 
vention  met  at  the  same  old  state-house  in  Philadelphia  in  which 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  had  been  signed.    It  contained  the 
wisest  men  in  the  country.     Washington  was  elected  its  president. 

5.  Different  points  were  sharply  discussed  by  the  members.     It 
was  hard  to  please  all.     At  one  time  it  seemed  as  if  they  would  be 
unable  to  agree  on  a  constitution.     At  length  Benjamin  Franklin, 
now  an  old  man,  but  as  firm  a  friend  of  his  country  as  ever,  proposed 
that  the  clergy  of  the  city  should  be  invited  to  offer  prayer  for  divine 
guidance  every  morning  before  they  began  their  labors.     It  was 
done.     Greater  harmony  then  prevailed.     One  gave  up  one  point, 
and  another  another.     At  last  our  glorious  constitution  was  com 
pleted. 


142  PROVISIONS   OF  THE   CONSTITUTION.  [1787 

6.  The  constitution  was  then. submitted  to  the  different  states. 
Some  found  fault  with  it ;  but  Alexander  Hamilton,  of  E~ew  York, 
and  James  Madison,  of  Virginia,  defended  it  from  all  attacks.  It 
was  soon  ratified  by  most  of  the  states.  Within  three  years  all  had 
accepted  it.  It  is  still  (with  certain  amendments  since  made)  the  law 
of  the  land. 

V.  According  to  the  constitution,  all  laws  for  the  country  at 
large  have  to  be  passed  by  two  houses.  They  are  called  the  Senate 
and  the  House  of  Representatives.  Together  they  are  known  as  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States.  They  meet  once  every  year.  The 
senators  are  elected  by  the  legislatures  of  the  different  states  ;  the 
representatives,  by  the  people.  The  laws  are  interpreted  by  Judges, 
who  form  what  is  called  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 
The  laws  are  executed  by  a  President,  chosen  once  in  four  years  by 
electors  who  are  themselves  chosen  by  the  people. 

8.  The  President  can  veto  a  law  passed  by  Congress.     It  is  then 
null,  unless  two-thirds  of  both  houses  again  vote  for  it.     The  Presi 
dent  is  cominander-in-chief  of  the  army  and  navy.     He  appoints 
various  officers  and  makes  treaties,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
senate.     At  the  same  time  with  the  President,  a  Yice-president  is 
elected,  who,  if  the  President  dies  or  is  disabled,  takes  his  place. 
Each  state  is  independent  and  supreme  in   matters   that  concern 
itself  alone.     It  is  only  in  affairs  connected  with  the   country  at 
large  that  the  general  government  has  power. 

9.  Under  the  new  constitution,  Washington  was  elected  Presi 
dent.     All  looked  to  him  as  the  only  one  that  could  rescue  the 
country  from  the  dangers  that  threatened  it.     Again,  at  his  coun 
try's  call,  he  left  his  quiet  home  at  Mount  Yernon.     His  journey  to 
New  York  showed  how  the  people  loved   him.     Crowds   nocked 
about  him,  delighting  to  do  him   honor.     On  the  30th  of  April, 


1T89]  WASHINGTON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  143 

1789,  lie  took  the  oath  of  office  and  became  the  first  President  of 
the  United  States. 

QUESTIONS. —  1.  Give  an  account  of  Washington's  visit  to  his  mother.  What  passed 
between  her  and  La  Fayette? — 2.  By  what  difficulties  did  Congress  find  itself  sur 
rounded?  Of  what  did  England  complain? — 3.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  people? 
What  took  place  in  Massachusetts  ?  What  was  the  issue  of  Shays'  rebellion  ? — 4.  What 
now  became  evident?  How  was  it  proposed  to  form  a  constitution  ?  When  and  where 
did  the  convention  meet?  Who  was  elected  its  president  ? — 5.  What  difficulties  arose  in 
the  convention  ?  What  proposition  was  made  by  Benjamin  Franklin  ?  What  was  the 
effect? — 6.  What  was  done  with  the  constitution,  when  thus  drawn  up?  By  whom  was 
it  defended?  How  was  it  received  by  the  states? — Y.  According  to  the  constitution,  by 
whom  are  all  laws  for  the  country  at  large  passed?  How  often  does  Congress  meet?  By 
whom  arc  the  senators  elected?  The  representatives'?  By  whom  are  the  laws  inte,r- 
preted  ?  By  whom  are  the  laws  executed  ? — 8.  What  veto  power  has  the  President  ?  What 
other  powers  does  he  possess?  Who  takes  the  President's  place,  if  he  is  disabled?  In 
what  matters  is  each  state  supreme  ?  In  what,  the  general  government  ? — 9.  Who  was 
elected  the  first  President?  What  is  said  of  Washington's  journey  to  New  York?  When 
did  he  take  the  oath  of  office  ? 


LESSON  XLIII. 

WASHINGTON'S   TWO  TEEMS. 

1.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  find  some  way  of  paying  the 
public  debt.     This  was  a  hard  task,  but  it  was  intrusted  to  a  man 
of  genius,  Alexander  Hamilton.     Hamilton  gave  all  the  powers  of 
his  great  mind  to  the  subject.     He  devised  means  for  gradually 
meeting  a  great  part  of  the  debt.     By  his  advice,  Congress  char 
tered  a  United  States  Bank  with  a  large  capital.    People  once  more 
began  to  put  faith  in  the  government,  and  business  soon  became 
brisk. 

2.  The  next  difficulty  was  with  the  Indians  in  the  west.    Even  be 
fore  the  Revolution,  some  adventurous  hunters  had  pushed  out  from 


144 


WASHINGTON'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


[1789 


Virginia  and  Carolina  beyond  the  mountains,  and  made  liomes  for 
themselves  in  the  wilderness.  The  famous  Daniel  Boonc,  with  five 
companions,  had  settled  in  what  is  now  Kentucky.  His  wife  and 
daughter  were  the  first  white  women  that  set  foot  on  the  bank 
of  the  Kentucky  River.  Many  a  stirring  adventure  had  Boone  and 
such  as  he, — many  a  hair-breadth  escape  from  the  wild  beasts,  and 
the  wilder  Bed  Men,  of  the  forest ! 

3.  One  of  these  pioneer  posts  was  called  Bryan  Station.  In  1Y82, 
a  party  of  Indians  tried  to  surprise  its  garrison.  Lying  in  ambush 
near  the  fort,  they  waited  for  the  men  to  com£  jgut ;  but  the  cunning 
hunters  had  seen  signs  of  the  foe,  and  kept  within  the  palisades. 
Unfortunately  their  water  gave  out ;  and,  if  they  went  to  the  spring, 


lira  very  of  the  Women  of  Bryan  Station,  Kentucky. 

they  were  sure  the  Indians  would  shoot  them  down  and  make  a  rush 
for  the  fort.     At  this  crisis,  the  brave  women  at  the  post  offered  to 


1790]  INDIAN  WAR.  145 

bring  the  water.  Going  carelessly  past  the  thicket  in  which  the 
savages  lay  concealed,  they  filled  their  pails  and  returned.  Five 
hundred  rifles  were  aimed  at  them,  but  not  one  was  fired.  The  In 
dians  waited  for  the  men,  but  in  vain  ;  and  the  fort  was  saved. 

4.  As  the  settlements  in  the  west  increased,  Congress  tried  to 
satisfy  the  Indians  by  buying  their  lands.     There  were  some,  how 
ever,  north  of  the  Ohio  River,  in  what  is  now  the  state  of  Indiana, 
that  would  not  join  in  the  sale.    They  threatened  war,  and  Congress 
had  to  send  an  army  under  General  Harmer  to  subdue  them.    Har- 
mer  laid  waste  their  fields.    Bu.t,  while  he  was  pursuing  the  Indians 
who  had  fled  before  him,  one  division  of  his  army  was  defeated,  and 
the  other  was  led  into  an  ambuscade  and  cut  to  pieces. 

5.  General  St:  Clair  an  experienced  officer,  was  then  sent  against 
the  Indians.     Little  Turtle  was  their  leading  spirit.     He  was  a  fa 
mous  chief,  whose  nose  and  ears  were  bright  with  silver  rings.     He 
cunningly  planned  a  surprise.     One  morning  about  daylight,  when 
near  the  Indian  camp,  the  invading  army  was  suddenly  attacked. 
In  spite  of  St.  Clair's  efforts  and  the  bravery  of  his  officers,  his  men 
were  thrown  into  confusion.     Many  were  killed,  and  the  battle 
ended  in  a  total  rout. 

6.  A  third  army  w^as  then  sent  out,  and  this  time  Washington  in 
trusted  the  command  to  General  Wayne.    "Wayne  had  distinguished 
himself  in  the  Revolution.     His  fierce  charges  on  the  enemy  had 
gained   for  him  among  the  soldiers  the  nick-name  of  "  mad  An 
thony".     Advancing  cautiously  into  the  country  of  the  Indians, 
Wayne  defeated  them,  and  desolated  their  villages  for  a  distance  of 
fifty  miles.    They  were  completely  humbled.    A  treaty  was  signed, 
and  for  years  the  frontier  was  secure.     Wayne  is  said  to  have  told 
the  Indians  that  if  they  ever  broke  this  treaty  he  would  rise  from 
the  grave  to  fight  them. 

10 


146  WASHINGTON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1793 

7.  When  Washington's  four  years  expired,  he  was  elected  for  a 
second  term.     A  party  had  arisen  which  opposed  the  measures  of 
the  President,  and  complained  that  he  had  too  much  power.     But 
the  mass  of  the  people  still  looked  to  Washington  as  the  father  of 
his  country. 

8.  Early  in  Washington's  second  term,  he  was   troubled  with 
what  was  called  the  Whiskey  Rebellion.     A  tax  had  been  laid  on 
all  whiskey  that  was  distilled.     Some  people  in  western  Pennsylva 
nia  said  they  would  not  pay  this  tax.     Assembling  under  a  man 
who  took  the  name  of  Tom  the  Tinker,  they  drove  out  the  collector 
and  defied  the  s-overnment.     It  was  not  till  Washington  sent  a 

o  o 

large  body  of  soldiers  against  them  that  they  returned  to  reason. 

9.  There  were  some  troubles  also  with  France  and  England ; 
but  Washington  met  them  all  with  wisdom.     Some  wanted  him  to 
aid  the  French  people,  who  had  driven  out  their  King.     Others 
said  he  ought  to  insist  on  England's  yielding  certain  points  that 
were  in  dispute.     But  Washington  prudently  avoided  war.     Mean 
while  the  country  throve.     It  has  gone  on  increasing  in  strength. 
The  west  has  become  rapidly  settled.     New  states  have  from  time 
to  time  been  formed.     A  list  of  these,  with  the  date  of  their  admis 
sion  to  the  Union,  will  be  given  hereafter. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  was  the  first  thing  to  be  done  in  Washington's  adminis 
tration  ?  To  whom  was  the  task  intrusted  ?  What  did  Hamilton  succeed  in  doing  ? 
What  did  Congress  do  by  his  advice?  What  was  the  effect  of  these  measures? — 2. 
What  was  the  next  difficulty  that  arose  ?  Where  had  adventurous  hunters  made  their 
way  ?  Who  first  settled  in  Kentucky  ?  What  is  said  of  Boone's  wife  arid  daughter  ? — 3. 
What  took  place  at  Bryan  Station  in  1782  ? — 4.  How  did  Congress  try  to  satisfy  the 
Indians  ?  What  tone  was  taken  by  some  of  the  Indians  north  of  the  Ohio  ?  What  was 
done  by  Congress  ?  Give  an  account  of  Harmer's  expedition. — 5.  Who  was  next  sent 
against  the  Indians  ?  Who  was  the  leading  spirit  of  the  Indians  ?  Describe  Little  Turtle. 
What  plan  did  he  lay  ?  Give  an  account  of  St.  Clair's  defeat. — G.  Who  was  intrusted 
with  the  command  of  the  third  expedition  ?  What  nick-name  had  General  Wayne  gained 


1797]  JOHN  ADAMS'  ADMINISTRATION.  147 

in  the  Revolution  ?  <jive  an  account  of  Wayne's  movements.  What  was  the  result? 
What  is  Wayne  said  to  have  told  the  Indians? — 7.  When  Washington's  four  years  ex 
pired,  who  was  elected  President  ?  What  is  said  of  the  opposition  to  the  President  ? — 8. 
By  what  was  Washington  troubled,  early  in  his  second  term  ?  Give  an  account  of  the 
Whiskey  Rebellion. — 9.  What  other  troubles  arose  ?  How  did  Washington  meet  them 
all  ?  What  did  some  want  him  to  do  ?  What  did  others  say  ?  What  did  Washington 
prudently  do  ?  Meanwhile,  what  was  the  state  of  the  country  ?  What  have,  from  time 
to  time,  been  formed  ? 


- 


LESSOR  XLIV. 

JOHN  ADAMS.-THOMAS  JEFFEKSON. 

1.  "Washington  would  not  serve  a  third  term,  and  Jolin  Adams 
was  elected  to  succeed  him  as  President.     Adams  was  one  of  the 
greatest  of  our  early  statesmen.     During  the  Revolution,  he  went 
to  France  as  ambassador.     The  vessel  that  took  him  over  gave  bat 
tle  to  a  British  man-of-war,  Mr.  Adams  having  first  promised  that 
he  would  stay  in  the  cabin  during  the  action.     For  some  time  he 
kept  his  word,  but  at  last  he  could  stand  it  no  longer.     Seizing  a 
musket,  he  rushed  on  deck,  and  the  captain  soon  found  him  loading 
and  firing  with  the  rest.     The  captain  reminded  him  of  his  promise 
and  ordered  him  below.    Mr.  Adams  refused  to  go  ;  and  the  captain 
had  to  carry  him  down  by  force. 

2.  A  difficulty  with  the  French  arose  in  Adams'  term.     They 
had   an  unpleasant  way  of  seizing  American  vessels.     President 
Adams  determined  to  put  a  stop  to  this,  and  made  ready  for  war. 
Several  actions  took  place  between  French  and  American  vessels  in 
consequence  of  these  outrages.     In  one  of  these,  a  French  frigate 
was  taken  by  the  Constellation.     Lieutenant  Rodgers  was  sent  on 
board  with  twelve  men  to  take  command  of  the  prize  and  transfer 
her  crew  to  the  Constellation. 


148  JOHN  ADAMS'  ADMINISTRATION.  [1799 

3.  Before  this  could  be  done,  a  storm  separated -1  he  two  vessels. 
Kodgers  and  his  twelve  men  were  now  in  great  danger.    There  were 
nearly  two  hundred  French  sailors  on  board  of  the  prize,  and  they 
might  rise  and  retake  the  vessel.     To  guard  against  this,  Rodgers 
at  once  ordered  all  the  prisoners  below,  and  placed  guards  to  shoot 
down  any  that  should  come  on  deck.     After  three  days  of  fearful 
anxiety,  during  which  he  did  not  sleep  a  wink,  he  succeeded  in  get 
ting  his  prize  safe  into  port. 

4.  Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1799,  the  whole  nation  was 
plunged  in  grief  by  the  news  that  their  beloved  "Washington  was 
no  more.     lie  died  of  fever,  brought  on  by  exposure  to  a  slight 
rain.     As  his  end  approached,  he  said  to  his  physician,  "  I  am  not 
afraid  to  die."     He  felt  that  he  had  served  his  country  faithfully, 
and  that  country  will  never  forget  his  services. 

5.  In  1800,  Congress  met  for  the  first  time  at  the  city  of  Wash 
ington,  which  has  ever  since  been  the  capital  of  the  United  States. 
Washington  lies  on  the  Potomac  River,  in  a  small  tract  called  the 
District  of  Columbia.     This  tract  was  presented  to  the  general  gov 
ernment  by  Maryland.     It  was  at  first  a  wilderness,  through  which 
one  might  travel  for  miles  without  meeting  a  human  being.    But  it 
has  changed  wonderfully  since  then.     Thriving  farms  and  pleasant 
country-seats  now  dot  its  surface.     Washington  has  become  a  large 
city,  and  is  adorned  with  fine  public  buildings.     Among  these  are 
the  President's  residence,  which  you  often  hear  called  "  the  white 
house  ",  and  the  Capitol,  a  large  building  in  which  Congress  meets. 

6.  After  John  Adams  had  served  four  years  (1797-1801),  Thomas 
Jefferson  was  elected  President.     It  was  he  that  drew  up  the  Dec 
laration  of  Independence.     One  of  the  most  important  events  dur 
ing  his  term  of  office  was  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  from  the  French. 
Napoleon,  then  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  France,  at  first  intended  to 


1801]  THE  PHILADELPHIA  BURNED.  149 

plant  a  large  colony  there.  But,  a  quarrel  breaking  out  with  Eng 
land,  he  needed  all  the  men  and  money  he  could  raise.  So  he  sold 
Louisiana  to  the  United  States  for  fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  part 
of  which  was  to  be  paid  to  those  Americans  whose  property  had 
been  seized  by  French  cruisers  upon  the  ocean. 

7.  In  the  north  of  Africa,  011  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  lie  what 
are  called  the  Barbary  States.    For  a  long  time  they  were  the  home 
of  pirates,  who  used  to  scour  the  sea,  capture  merchant- vessels,  and 
sell  their  crews  into  slavery.     For  a  while  the  United  States  paid  a 
yearly  tribute  to  secure  its  vessels  from  these   outrages.     But  at 
last  the  pirates  became  so  insolent  that  a  fleet  was  sent  out  under 
Commodore  Preble  to  punish  them. 

8.  "While  reconnoitring  the  harbor  of  Trip'-o-li,  the  Philadelphia, 
one  of  the  American  vessels,  struck  on  a  rock.     She  was  immedi 
ately  taken  by  the  Tripolitans.     But  Lieutenant  De-ca'-tur,  one  of 
the   bravest   officers   in    the    service,   resolved    they    should    not 
long  enjoy  their  triumph.     One  evening,  in  a  little  vessel  disguised 
as  a  coaster,  he  boldly  sailed  up  to  the  Philadelphia,  and  asked  per 
mission  to  moor  his  boat  beside  her.     Before  the  Tripolitans  found 
out  what  was  going  on,  he  and  his  men  were  on  board.      After  dri 
ving  off  the  pirates,  they  set  the  ship  on  fire  and  made  good  their 
retreat. 

9.  Soon  after  this,  the  Americans  attacked  the  Tripolitan  fleet 
and  bombarded  the  city.     The  gallant  Decatur  again  fought  like  a 
lion.     In  boarding  one  of  the  enemy's  boats,  he  was  met  by  the 
captain,  and  a  desperate  struggle  ensued.     While  they  were  thus 
engaged,  another  Tripolitan  rushed  up  with  drawn  sword  and  was 
about  to  despatch  Decatur,  when  a  gallant  sailor  saved  his  life  by 
interposing  his  person  and  receiving  the  blow  himself.    After  being 
pretty  severely  handled,  the  bashaw  of  Tripoli  thought  it  best  to 


150 


JEFFERSON'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


[1801 


come  to  terms.     For  some  years  after  this,  the  American  flag  was 
treated  with  respect. 


Reuben  James  saving  Decatur's  Life. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  succeeded  Washington  as  President  ?  What  is  said  of  John 
Adams  ?  Relate  what  happened  to  Mr.  Adams  when  he  was  going  to  France  as  ambassa 
dor.— 2.  What  difficulty  arose  in  Adams'  term  ?  What  occasioned  it  ?  What  took  place 
in  consequence  of  these  outrages  ?  What  was  the  result  of  one  of  these  actions  ? — 8. 
Tell  the  story  of  Lieutenant  Rodgers  and  his  twelve  men.— 4.  Towards  the  close  of  1779, 
what  news  plunged  the  nation  in  grief?  Of  what  did  Washington  die?  What  did  he 
say  to  his  physician? — 5.  Where  did  Congress  meet  in  1800?  How  is  Washington 
situated  ?  How  did  the  general  government  obtain  the  District  of  Columbia  ?  Describe 
the  District  as  it  was.  What  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  District  and  in  Washington 
City  ? — 6.  Who  succeeded  John  Adams  ?  What  is  Jefferson  noted  for  having  drawn  up  ? 
What  was  one  of  the  most  important  events  during  his  term  ?  State  the  circumstances 
under  which  Louisiana  was  bought.  How  much  was  given  for  it  ? — 7.  Where  do  the  Bar- 
bary  States  lie  ?  Of  whom  were  they  long  the  home  ?  What  led  to  a  war  with  Tripoli  ? 


1805]  AAROX  BURR.  151 

— 8.  What  befell  the  Philadelphia?  What  gallant  exploit  was  performed  by  Decatur  in 
connection  with  this  vessel? — 9.  What  did  the  Americans  do  soon  after  this?  Tell  the 
story  about  Decatur.  What  was  the  result  of  the  war  ? 


~~~~ 

LESSON  XLY. 

JEFFEKSOX'S   SECOND  TEKM.— JAMES    MADISON. 

1.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1805,  Jefferson  entered  on  his  second 
term.     Aaron  Burr,  who  had  been  Yice-president,  was  not  re-elect 
ed.     Burr  was  disappointed,  and,  journeying  through  the  west,  he 
gave  out  that  he  was  engaged  in  some  great  scheme,  and  tried  to 
induce  the    leading   men    to   join    him.     What  his   scheme  was, 
never  was  known.     It   is   thought  that  he   proposed    separating 
the  west  from  the  rest  of  the  Union  and  placing  himself  at  its  head. 

2.  Hearing  that  he  had  enlisted  several  thousand  men  in  his  en 
terprise,  the  President  in  1807  had  Burr  arrested  on  a  charge  of 
treason.     He  was  committed  to  jail ;  and  this  great  man,  who  had 
been  Vice-president,  slept  for  a  time  in  a  blanket  on  the  floor  among 
the  common  criminals.    He  was  tried  and  acquitted.     But  people 
generally  believed  him  guilty  ;  and,  though  he  was  one  of  the  best 
orators  and  lawyers  in  the  country,  he  was  shunned  by  all. 

3.  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  on  the  Pacific,  lay  a  province 
of  Mexico  called  California.     North,  of  this  was  an  extensive  tract, 
now  forming  the  state  of  Oregon  and  the  territory  of  Washington. 
Little  or  nothing  was  known  of  this  region  ;  and,  during  Jefferson's 
term,  a  party  of  soldiers  and  hunters  was  sent  out  to  explore  it. 
They  were  gone  two  years,  and  met  with  many  adventures.     They 
travelled  six  thousand  miles,  and  thoroughly  explored  the  valley 
of  the  great  Columbia  Hiver. 

4.  Jefferson's  second  term  was  distinguished  by  one  of  the  great- 


152  JEFFERSON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1807 

est  inventions  ever  made, — that  of  the  steamboat.  "When  you  see 
our  rivers  covered  with  floating  palaces,  remember  that  the  first 
steamboat  in  the  world  was  made  by  Robert  Fulton,  a  Pennsylva- 
nian,  and  plied  on  the  Hudson  River  in  180T.  It  made  the  trip 
between  New  York  and  Albany  in  thirty-six  hours,  and  was  a  great 
improvement  on  the  river  sloops,  which  took  a  week  or  more  to 
perform  the  passage.  This  little  boat  of  Fulton  led  the  way  for  the 
splendid  steamers  that  have  since  become  so  common. 

5.  Great  Britain  still  seemed  to  feel  sore  at  the  loss  of  her  colo 
nies.     She  was  the  strongest  of  all  countries  on  the  ocean,  and  took 
advantage  of  her  power  to  stop  American  vessels  and  search  them. 
She  claimed  the  right  of  seizing  British   seamen,  wherever  they 
could  be  found,  and  carrying  them  off  to  serve  on  her  own  ships. 
And,  worst  of  all,  she  took  the  liberty  of  deciding  for  herself  who 
were  British  seamen,  and  sometimes  seized  Americans  instead. 

6.  The  American  vessels  were  often  too  weak  to  resist.     This 
was  the  case  with  the  Chesapeake.     Sailing  out  of  port,  unprepared 
for  battle,  she  was  overhauled  by  a  British   ship,  which  fired  on 
her,  killed  several  of  her  crew,  and  carried  off  four  men  claimed  as 
deserters.     This  news   produced  great  excitement  throughout  the 
country.     But  the  British  were  not  always  so  fortunate.     Several 
years  after  this,  the  Little  Belt  gave  chase  to  the  American  ship 
President.     After   a  time,  however,  she  changed  her  course,  and 
then  it  was  the  President's  turn  to  chase.     The  Little  Belt  com 
menced  the  action  as  the  American  ship  approached,  but  soon  gave 
it  up  with  the  loss  of  thirty  men. 

7.  It  was  clear  that  unless  such  outrages  ceased  war  would  fol 
low.     In  the  midst  of  the  excitement,  Jefferson's  second  term  ex 
pired.     He  was    succeeded  by  James  Madison.     Madison   served 
two  terms,  from  1809  to  1817.     They  were  signalized  by  two  wars : 


1810]  MORE  INDIAN  DIFFICULTIES.  153 

one   with   the   Indians   of  the   west,    and   the   other   with   Great 
Britain. 

8.  The  west  was  now  rapidly  filling  up  with  settlers.     The  In 
dians,  again  alarmed  and  forgetting  the  lesson  Wayne  had  taught 
them,  were  ready  once  more  to  dig  up  the  tomahawk  against  the 
United  States.     At  their  head  was  Tecumseh,  the  most  formidable 
Indian  warrior  that  ever  fought  against  our  country,  crafty,  elo 
quent,  and  a  giant  in  strength.     Tecumseh's  brother  was  a  noted 
prophet,  and  both  had  great  influence  among  the  frontier  tribes. 
They  refused  to  keep  the  treaty  that  had  been  made  with  the  United 
States,  and  planned  a 'general  rising  against  the  whites. 

9.  British  agents  encouraged  Tecumseh  and  his  brother  to  carry 
out  their  scheme.     The  Indians  generally  were  ready  to  listen  to 
them.      While  Tecumseh  was   away,  visiting   distant  tribes,  the 
prophet's  head-quarters  were  fixed  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tippecanoe 
River,  in  what  is  now  the  western  part  of  Indiana.     Here  his  fol 
lowers  gathered  around  him  and  built  a  town. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  When  did  Jefferson  commence  his  second  term?  What  is  said  of 
Aaron  Burr?  What  is  Burr's  scheme  thought  to  have  been? — 2.  How  did  the  President 
put  a  stop  to  Burr's  movements  ?  What  change  of  fortune  is  alluded  to  ?  How  did 
Burr's  trial  result  ? — 3.  What  lay  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  on  the  Pacific  ?  What  lay 
north  of  California  ?  What  measures  were  taken  to  explore  this  region  ?  What  is  said 
of  the  exploring  party? — 4.  By  what  was  Jefferson's  second  term  distinguished?  By 
whom  was  the  first  steamboat  constructed  ?  Where  did  it  ply  ?  How  did  its  speed 
compare  with  that  of  the  river  sloops  ?  For  what  did  this  little  boat  of  Fulton  lead  the 
way  ? — 5.  What  arrogant  claim  did  Great  Britain  make  and  act  upon,  to  the  injury  of 
American  commerce  ? — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the  outrage  committed  on  the  Chesapeake. 
What  took  place  between  the  Little  Belt  and  the  President? — 7.  In  the  midst  of  the  ex 
citement,  who  became  President  ?  How  long  did  Madison  serve  ?  By  what  was  his  ad 
ministration  signalized  ? — 8.  What  troubles  assumed  a  threatening  aspect  in  the  west  ? 
Who  was  at  the  head  of  the  Indians  ?  What  is  said  of  Tecumseh  ?  Of  his  brother  ? 
What  did  they  do  ?— 9.  Where  did  the  prophet  fix  his  head-quarters  ? 


154 


MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


[1810 


LESSQ3TXLYI. 

BATTLE    OF   TIPPECANOE.— WAK   WITH   ENGLAND. 


President's  House,  Washington  City,  District  of  Columbia. 

1.  The  territory  of  Indiana  was  at  this  time  governed  by  Wil 
liam  Henry  Harrison,  afterwards  President  of  the  United  States. 
The  crafty  Tecumseh  thought  he  would  commence  the  war  by  stri 
king  a  blow  at  Governor  Harrison.  So,  going  to  the  capital-  of  the 
territory  with  several  hundred  warriors,  he  asked  for  an  interview. 
On  a  given  signal,  his  men  were  to  fall  upon  the  whites  who  were 
present,  and  let  none  escape.  Governor  Harrison  met  him  as  de 
sired,  but,  suspecting  treachery,  took  such  precautions  that  Tecum 
seh,  bold  as  he  was,  durst  not  give  the  signal. 


1811]  BATTLE   OF  TIPPECANOE.  155 


2.  Tecumseh  had  all'  the  pride  of  his  race.     At  a  meeting  be 
tween  him  and  Harrison,  a  chair  was  placed  for  him  by  the  inter 
preter,  who  said,  as  he  offered  it,  "  Your  father  [meaning  Harrison] 
requests  you  to  take  a  chair."    "  The  sun  is  my  father,"  replied  Te 
cumseh,  proudly,  "  and  the  earth  is  my  mother  ;  on  her  bosom  will 
I  repose."     And,  wrapping  his  blanket  round  him,  he  sat  down  on 
the  ground. 

3.  Wishing  to  unite  the  Red  Men  in  one  common  cause,  Tecum 
seh  visited  the  Creeks,  who  lived  in  Alabama  and  Georgia.     Many 
of  them  listened  to  him  and  promised  their  aid.     But  the  United 
States  was  on  its  guard.     Before  the  Creeks  could  take  the  field, 
and  while  Tecumseh  himself  was  absent,  an  army  under  General 
Harrison  approached  the  Tippecanoe  River.    They  intended  destroy 
ing  the  prophet's  town,  unless  a  satisfactory  treaty  was  signed. 

4.  Here  Harrison  was  met  by  several  Indian  ambassadors,  who 
said  that  their  nation  desired  peace,  and  would  sign  a  treaty  on  the 
next  day.     That  very  night  the  war-whoop  was   suddenly  heard, 
and  the  army  was  attacked  by  savages  on  every  side.     Harrison, 
however,  was  prepared.     He  had  directed  his  men  to  encamp  in 
order  of  battle,  and  now  he  hurried  from  one  point  to  another,  urg 
ing  them  to  stand  their  ground  till  daylight. 

5.  The  Indians,  hidden  in  the  long  prairie-grass,  poured  in   a 
deadly  fire  with  the  rifle.     They  had  chewed  their  bullets,  so  that 
they  would  tear  the  flesh,  and  every  volley  they  fired  caused  the 
wounded  to  scream  with  pain.     Yery  few  of  Harrison's  men  had 
been  in  battle  before ;  still,  throughout  that  terrible  night,  they 
kept  their  line  unbroken.     When  day  dawned,  they  charged  the 
savages.     The  latter  fought  desperately.    Their  prophet  had  assured 
them  that  they  would  gain  the  battle,  and  they  believed  him.    But 
prophets  sometimes  make  mistakes,  and  so  they  found  in  this  case. 


156  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1811 

6.  A  vigorous  charge  drove  the  Indians  from  their  cover.    They . 
fled  in  all  directions.     The  prophet's  town  was  destroyed,  and  the 
army  returned  in  triumph.     General  Harrison  was  as  merciful  as 
he  was  brave.     Shortly  before  the   battle,  a  negro  deserter,  who 
had  been  hired  by  the  Indians  to  murder  the  general,  was  seized 
while  lying  hidden  near  his  tent.    He  was  condemned  to  death,  and 
secured,  till  the  sentence  could  be  carried  out,  by  fastening  his  feet, 
like  a  wedge,  between  the  sides  of  a  log  that  had  been  partially  split. 

7.  As  he  thus  lay,  he  kept  his  eyes  sadly  fixed  on  the  general. 
Harrison's  feelings  were  moved.     He  could  not  bear  to  have  the 
negro  executed,  and  asked  his  officers  to  pardon  him.     They  were 
unwilling  to  do  so.     They  felt  that  the  wicked  man  deserved  to  die. 
Yet,  when  their  general,  who  had  the  greatest  cause  to  condemn 
him,  pleaded  in  his  favor,  they  could  not  refuse,  and  the  wretched 
negro  was  spared. 

8.  Hardly  were  these  Indian  troubles  over  when  the  difficulty 
with  Great  Britain  became  more  serious  than  ever.     She  refused  to 
give  up  any  of  her  claims.     She  would  search  American  vessels 
whenever  she  saw  fit.    This  settled  the  question.    Henry  Clay,  John 
C.  Calhoun,  and  other  great  statesmen  then  in  Congress,  said  that 
it  would  be  wrong  for  America  to  submit  any  longer.    Accordingly 
war  was  declared  against  Great  Britain.     This  is  generally  called 
the  War  of  1812,  because  it  commenced  in  that  year. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  was  governor  of  the  territory  of  Indiana  at  this  time  ?  How 
did  Tecumseh  think  he  would  commence  the  war?  How  did  Harrison  defeat  his 
treacherous  plan? — 2.  Relate  an  anecdote  illustrative  of  the  pride  of  Tecumseh. — 3. 
Whom  did  Tecumseh  try  to  bring  over  to  his  plans  ?  How  did  he  succeed1?  How  was 
this  movement  defeated  ?  Where  is  the  Tippecanoe  River  ? — 4.  Who  met  Harrison  at 
this  point  ?  What  did  the  ambassadors  say  ?  What  took  place  that  very  night  ? — 5. 
Give  an  account  of  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe.  What  made  the  Indians  fight  with  such 
desperate  courage  ? — G,  7.  What  was  the  issue  of  the  batle?  Tell  a  story  illustrative  of 


1812]                                           HULL'S  SURRENDER.  157 

General  Harrison's  merciful  disposition. — 8.  What  followed  these  Indian  troubles?  What 

position  was  taken  by  Clay,  Calhoun,  and  others  ?     Accordingly,  wLat  was  done  ?  What 
is  this  war  called,  and  wny  ? 


; 

LESSOR  XLYII. 

EEYEESES  ON  LAND:    TEIUMPHS  ON  THE  OCEAN. 

1.  The  United  States  does  not  keep  a  great  army  all  the  time 
ready,  as  European  countries  do.     When,  therefore,  war  was  de 
clared,  there  was  much  to  prepare.    Those  who  had  charge  of  affairs 
knew  but  little  of  war ;  and  hence  some  mistakes  were  made  at 
first,  and  some  reverses  suffered.     The  first  thing  proposed  was  an 
invasion  of  Canada.     To  carry  this  out,  a  few  regular  soldiers  and 
some  volunteers  from  Ohio  were  placed  under  the  command  of 
General  Hull,  the  governor  of  Michigan. 

2.  Hull  led  his  men  across  into  Canada  from  Detroit.     But  he 
marched  so  slowly  that  before  he  reached  the  first  British  fort  the 
Canadian  militia  were  in  arms.     Tecumseh  and  his  warriors  lost  no 
time  in  joining  the  enemy  and  cutting  off  the  supplies  of  the  Amer 
icans.     A  British  army  was  also  on  the  march  against  them.     So, 
instead  of  attacking  the  fort,  Hull  turned  round  and  marched  back 
as  fast  as  he  could.     The  British  followed,  crossed  the  river,  and 
appeared  in  full  force  before  Detroit. 

3.  The  Americans  were  well  posted  and  were  all  ready  to  re 
ceive  the  British  with  grape-shot  as  they  approached.     What  was 
their  indignation,  when  they  saw  a  white  flag  displayed  above  the 
fort !     Hull  had  become  frightened,  and  raised  the  flag  as  a  signal 
of  surrender.     His  men  wept  as  they  saw  it,  but  there  was  no  rem 
edy.     Not  only  Detroit,  with  its  garrison,  but  also  the  whole  of 
Michigan,  was  given  up  to  the -enemy.     Hull  was  afterwards  tried. 


158  MADISON'S   ADMINISTRATION.  [1812 

He  was  found  guilty  of  cowardice  and  sentenced  to  be  shot,  but  was 
pardoned  by  the  President. 

4.  Shortly  after  this,  a  body  of  militia  gathered  on  the  frontier 
of  New  York.    Their  design  was  to  cross  the  Niagara  River,  which 
separates  New  York  from  Canada,  and  attack  the  British  at  Queens- 
town.     Some  boats  having  been  procured,  the  first  division  of  the 
army  crossed.    They  gallantly  drove  the  enemy  from  their  batteries 
and  seized  the  heights.     But  a  fresh  British  army  was  approaching, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  bring  over  the  rest  of  the  men.     To  the  dis 
may  of  their  officers  and  their  own  disgrace,  they  refused  to, move. 
The  sight  of  their  wounded  comrades,  who  had  been  brought  back, 
had  dampened  their  courage. 

5.  Thus   abandoned  by  their  companions,  the  Americans  who 
had  crossed,  after  holding  out  as  long  as  they  could,  surrendered. 
Nothing  more  was  attempted  at  that  time  on  the  frontier.     Both 
invasions  of  Canada  had  failed.     Some  glorious  victories  on  the 
ocean,  however,  made  up  for  these  reverses  on  land.     Little  was  ex 
pected  of  our  infant  navy,  when  matched  against  Great  Britain,  the 
powerful  mistress  of  the  sea.     But  courage  and  will  often  make  up 
for  want  of  strength. 

o 

6.  One  of  the  greatest  naval  victories  of  the  Americans  was 
gained  by  Captain  Isaac  Hull,  in  the  frigate  Constitution.     After 
being  chased  by  a  British  squadron  four  days,  and  escaping  by  his 
good  management,  Hull  fell  in  with  the  Guerriere  \_gare-e-are'']. 
This  vessel  was  one  of  the  finest  in  the  British  navy.     She  had  long 
been  on  the  look-out  for  "  Yankee  craft ",  and  expected  to  make 
short  work  of  the  Constitution.     But  Hull's  broadsides  soon  made 
her  lower  her  flag.    She  was  so  much  injured  that  he  could  not  take 
her  into  port,  and  the  next  day  he  blew  her  up. 

7.  Victories  were  also  gained  by  the  Essex,  the  President,  and 


1812]  AMERICAN  TRIUMPHS   ON  THE  OCEAN.  159 

the  Argus.  The  Wasp,  Captain  Jones,  had  a  sharp  conflict  with 
the  British  brig  Frolic.  Having  brought  his  vessel  so  close  to  the 
Frolic  that  in  loading  his  rammers  touched  her  side,  Jones  ordered 
his  men  to  board.  Tljey  found  the  deck  a  scene  of  carnage.  Only 
three  officers  remained  there,  and  one  old  sailor,  coolly  seated  at  the 
helm.  Before  Jones  could  secure  his  prize,  a  British  seventy-four 
came  along  and  captured  both  vessels. 

8.  The  same  brave  Decatur  who  had  distinguished  himself  in 
the  Tripolitan  war,  now  commanded  the  frigate  United  States.    He 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  British  vessel  Macedonian.     Late  in  the 
year,  another  great  victory  was  won  by  the  Constitution,  now  com 
manded  by  Commodore  Bainbridge,  over  the  British  frigate  Java. 
The  Java  had  to  be  blown  up,  but  her  wheel  was  first  taken  out, 
to  replace  that  of  the  Constitution,  which  was  damaged  in  the 
action. 

9.  Long  after  the  war,  a  British  officer  visited  the  Constitution. 
When  asked  his  opinion  of  her,  he  replied  that  she  was  a  fine  vessel 
in  every  respect,  except  that  her  wheel  was  clumsy.     "  Yes,"  re 
plied  the  captain,  "  it  is  clumsy.     It  is  the  old  wheel  of  the  Java, 
which  we  put  in,  and  have  kept  ever  since  as  a  trophy  of  the  vic 
tory." 

QUESTIONS.— 1.  What  disadvantage  did  the  United  States  now  labor  under  ?  What 
was  the  first  thing  proposed  ?  Who  was  intrusted  with  the  invasion  of  Canada  ? — 2. 
Give  an  account  of  Hull's  movements.  What  led  him  to  march  back  without  attacking 
the  fort  ?  What  was  then  done  by  the  British  ? — 3.  What  took  place  at  Detroit  ?  What 
did  the  British  gain  by  this  surrender  ?  What  afterwards  became  of  Hull  ?— 4.  What 
movement  was  made  shortly  after  this  in  New  York?  What  was  done  by  the  first 
division  of  the  army  ?  How  was  their  success  turned  into  defeat  ? — 5.  What  made  up 
for  these  reverses  ? — 6.  By  whom  was  one  of  the  greatest  naval  victories  of  the  Ameri 
cans  gained  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  action  between  the  Constitution  and  the  Guerriere. 
— 7.  By  what  other  vessels  were  victories  gained  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  engagement 
between  the  Wasp  and  the  Frolic.  What  prevented  the  Wasp  from  securing  her  prize  ? 


160 


MADISON'S   ADMINISTRATION. 


[1812 


— 8.  What  vessel  did  Decatur  now  command?  What  vessel  did  he  capture?  What 
other  great  victory  was  won?  What  was  done  with  the  Java?  What  was  first  taken 
out  of  her  ? — 9.  Relate  an  anecdote  about  this  wheel  of  the  Java. 


LESSOR  XLVIII. 

THE  WAR  IN  THE  SOUTH-WEST. 


The  Capitol,  Washington  City,  District  of  Columbia. 

1.  One  great  cause  of  the  defeats  of  the  Americans  in  the  north 
west  had  been  the  neglect  of  Congress  to  provide  a  suitable  army. 
It  was  still  backward  in  acting.  There  were  some  who  openly  op 
posed  the  war,  and  said  the  President  ought  not  to  be  supported  in 
it.  The  frontier,  however,  now  lay  open  to  the  British,  and  it  was 
necessary  for  something  to  be  done.  A  body  of  volunteers  from 


1812]  BATTLE   OF  FEENCHTOWN.  161 

Kentucky  had  already  taken  the  field,  and  General  Harrison,  the 
hero  of  Tippecanoe,  was  appointed  to  their  command. 

2.  Harrison's  object  was  to  recover  Detroit,  but  his  march  lay 
through  swamps  that  seemed  almost  endless,  and  when  winter  set 
in  he  was  still  some  distance  off.     He  had,  therefore,  to  wait  for 
spring.     The  army  went  into  winter-quarters  in  two  divisions,  one 
under  Harrison  himself,  the  other  under  General  Winchester.    Du 
ring  the  winter,  Winchester,  hearing  that  Frenchtown,  a  post  to  the 
north,  was  in  danger,  advanced  to  its  aid  and  dispersed  a  body  of 
the  enemy.    But  he  was  very  soon  attacked  by  a  large  force  of*  Brit 
ish  and  Indians  under  Proctor. 

3.  During  the  battle,  General  Winchester  himself  was  captured 
by  a  famous  Indian  chief  called  Bound  Head.     Delighted  with  the 
uniform  of  his  prisoner,  Bound  Head  stripped  him  of  it  without 
delay,  and  putting  it  on  himself  was  soon  strutting  about  the  field 
as  proudly  as  a  peacock.     Proctor,  shortly  afterwards  passing  the 
spot,  was  surprised  to  see  the  American  general  shivering  half  naked 
over  a  fire,  for  it  was  bitterly  cold.     It  was  with  great  difficulty  he 
could  make  Bound  Head  give  up  his  borrowed  plumes. 

4.  Though  their  general  was  a  prisoner,  part  of  the  Americans 
still  held  out.     At  length  a  letter  was  sent  them  by  Winchester, 
recommending  them  to  lay  down  their  arms.     They  did  so,  on  re 
ceiving  a  pledge  from  Proctor  that  their  lives  and  property  should 
be  spared.     But  no  sooner  had  they  surrendered,  than   Proctor, 
with  his  British  troops  and  such  of  the  prisoners  as  could  walk,  re 
turned  to  Canada,  leaving  the  sick  and  wounded  Americans  behind, 
with  no  one  to  protect  them  from  his  Indian  allies.     You  know  the 
mercy  of  the  savages.     Few  of  the  sufferers  escaped  the  flames  and 
the  tomahawk.     So  much  was  the  pledge  of  Proctor  worth. 

5.  Proctor  now  thought  he  was  sure  of  crushing  Harrison  also. 

11 


162  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1812 

As  soon  as  the  weather  allowed,  he  was  on  the  march,  for  the  Amer 
ican  camp.  But  Harrison  had  not  been  idle.  Weakened  as  he 
was  by  the  loss  of  Winchester's  division,  he  could  not  hope  to  take 
Detroit,  but  he  resolved  to  hold  his  ground.  Accordingly,  he  com 
menced  a  fort  in  what  is  now  the  north-western  part  of  Ohio,  and 
kept  his  men  at  work  night  and  day  that  it  might  be  ready  for  the 
foe.  He  had  no  time  to  spare.  Proctor  and  Tecumseh  soon  ap 
peared  before  Fort  Meigs  \megz\,  as  this  .post  was  called,  and  sum 
moned  the  garrison  to  surrender.  "  jSTot  while  I  have  the  honor  to 
command,"  was  Harrison's  brief  answer.  v> 

6.  The  attack  was  pushed  with  vigor.    The  Indians  even  climbed 
into  trees  overhanging  the  fort,  that  they  might  pick  off  the  men. 
Harrison  himself,  as  he  moved  around  giving  his  orders,  was  fre 
quently  shot  at.     Once  a  ball  struck  a  bench  on  which  he  was  sit 
ting,  and  at  another  time  a  soldier  was  killed  by  his  side.     He  re 
ceived  no  harm,  however,  but  baffled  every  effort  of  the  enemy. 

7.  !N"ews  was  now  received  that  a  body  of  Kentuckians  was  near 
at  hand,  hastening  to  relieve  the  fort.     Harrison  sent  word  to  them 
to  attack  one  division  of  the  enemy,  while  a  detachment  from  the 
fort  fell  upon  another.     The  sally  from  the  fort  was  successful,  but 
those  who  were  advancing  for  its  relief  lost  more  than  half  their 
number,  the  greater  part  of  whom  were  captured.    Proctor  allowed 
the  prisoners  to  be  treated  so  cruelly  that  even  Tecumseh  rebuked 
him.     Finding  they  could  make  no  impression  on  Fort  Meigs,  in  a 
few  days  both  British  and  Indians  gave  up  the  siege. 

8.  During  the  year  1813,  the  Americans  gained  some  more  bril 
liant  victories  on  the  ocean.    Commodore  Porter  distinguished  him 
self  by  a  successful  cruise  in  the  Pacific,  in  the  course  of  which  he 
took  twelve  armed  whalers.     Captain  Lawrence,  after  taking  two 
prizes  in  the  Hornet,  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Chesa- 


1813]  CAPTURE  OF  THE   CHESAPEAKE.  163 

peake.  In  this  vessel  he  met  with  a  sad  reverse.  The  Chesapeake 
was  poorly  equipped,  and  was  taken  by  the  British  frigate  Shannon. 
Lawrence  himself  was  mortally  wounded.  "  Don't  give  up  the 
ship,"  said  he  to  his  men  as  he  was  carried  below.  Even  at  that 
trying  moment  his  thoughts  were  on  his  country. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  What  had  been  one  great  cause  of  the  defeats  of  the  Americans? 
What  spirit  was  still  displayed  by  Congress?  What  did  some  maintain?  Who  had 
already  taken  the  field  ?  Who  was  appointed  to  command  them  ? — 2.  What  was  Harri 
son's  object?  What  prevented  him  from  accomplishing  it?  How  was  the  army  divided 
for  the  winter?  What  was  done  by  General  Winchester?  By  whom  was  he  attacked? 
—3.  What  befell  Winchester  during  the  battle  ?  Tell  the  story  about  Round  Head  and 
Winchester. — 4.  How  were  the  Americans  induced  to  surrender  ?  How  was  Proctor's 
pledge  kept  ? — 5.  What  did  Proctor  now  think  ?  What  had  Harrison  been  doing  ?  Who 
soon  appeared  before  Fort  Meigs  ?  What  was  Harrison's  answer,  when  summoned  to 
surrender? — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the  attack. — Y.  What  news  was  now  received?  What 
orders  were  given  by  Harrison  ?  What  was  the  result  of  these  movements  ?  How  were 
the  prisoners  treated?  How  did  the  attack  on  Fort  Meigs  terminate? — 8.  What  success 
did  the  Americans  meet  with  on  the  ocean  in  1813  ?  How  did  Commodore  Porter  dis 
tinguish  himself?  What  success  did  Captain  Lawrence  meet  with  in  the  Hornet?  What 
befell  him  in  the  Chesapeake  ?  What  was  his  last  order  as  he  was  carried  below  ? 


XLIX. 

PIKE'S  EXPEDITION.— FORT  STEPHENSON.— LAKE  EEIE. 

1.  The  invasion  of  Canada  from  the  !N"ew  York  frontier,  in  1812, 
had  failed.  But  this  did  not  prevent  General  Pike  from  attempting 
it  the  next  year.  "With  a  body  of  men  raised  for  the  purpose,  he 
made  a  descent  on  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada.  This  lay  on  the 
shore  of  Lake  Ontario.  It  was  then  called  York,  but  the  name  has 
since  been  changed  to  Toronto.  Landing  in  the  face  of  a  heavy 
fire,  the  Americans  took  the  enemies'  redoubt,  and  advanced  to 


104  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1813 

within   a   short  distance  of  their  barracks,  which  seemed  to  be 
abandoned. 

2.  It  was  well  they  stopped  where  they  did,  for  in  a  few  moments 
a  terrible  explosion  took  place.     Logs  and  stones  were  hurled  high 
in  the  air.     The  British  had  lighted  a  slow  match  before  they  re 
tired,  and  thus  blown  up  their  own  magazine.     Several  hundred  of 
the  Americans  were  more  or  less  injured.     The  rest  pushed  on  after 
the  British,  and  took  a  number  of  them  prisoners.     York,  with  a 
large  amount  of  stores,  fell  into  their  hands. 

3.  General  Pike  was  struck  down  by  the  explosion.     As  he  lay 
dying   on  the  field,  he  heard  the  victorious  shouts  of  his  men. 
One  of  his  officers  asked  if  he  could  do  anything  for  him.     "  Place 
the  enemy's  flag  under  my  head,"  said  he.     As  it  was  done,  his  eye 
lighted  up  with  triumph,  and  he  expired  without  a  groan.     After 
this,  the   American   army  took  the  British  posts  on  the  Niagara 
River.     They  were  abandoned  by  the  enemy,  who  fell  back  to  the 
heights  west  of  Lake  Ontario, 

4.  Sackett's  Harbor,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  was  the  chief 
naval  station  of  the  Americans  on  Lake  Ontario.     This  place,  left 
almost  undefended,  was  attacked  by  a  party  of  the  enemy  from 
across   the  lake.     They  were   driven  back  by  the  militia  under 
General   Brown.     During .  the  attack,  one  of   the  British  officers, 
Captain  Gray,  was  shot  down  by  an  American  boy,  who  had  been 
a  servant  in  his  family  in  Canada.     After  the  battle,  the  boy  went  to 
his  former  master,  and  asked  his  forgiveness.     Captain  Gray  was 
dying  from  the  effects  of  the  wound,  but  gave  the  boy  his  watch  as 
a  token  that  he  forgave  him  with  his  whole  heart. 

5.  After  his  disappointment  at  Fort  Meigs,  Proctor  turned  his 
arms  against  another  post  at  no  great  distance  from  it.     This  was 
Fort  Stephenson,  commanded  by  Major  Croghan  \crog '-an\,  a  youth 


1813]  SIEGE  OF  FORT  STEPHENSON.  165 

of  twenty-one.  Proctor  summoned  the  garrison  to  surrender,  if 
they  wished  to  escape  being  massacred  by  the  Indians  when  the 
fort  was  taken.  Croghan  replied  that  the  fort  would  not  be  taken 
till  all  the  garrison  had  fallen,  and  therefore  a  massacre  could  do 
them  no  harm.  The  British  at  once  opened  a  brisk  cannonade. 

6.  Croghan  had  but  one  cannon.  To  make  the  enemy  believe 
he  had  more,  he  fired  it  first  from  one  point  of  the  fort  and  then 
from  another.  After  a  while  he  saw  the  British  gathering  for  an 
attack.  Loading  his  single  cannon  to  the  muzzle,  he  brought  it  to 
bear  upon  them,  and  quietly  awaited  their  approach.  They  were 
soon  within  thirty  feet.  At  this  moment  the  cannon  was  fired. 
Whole  ranks  were  swept  down,  and  a  deadly  volley  from  the 
muskets  of  the  garrison  followed.  A  retreat  was  ordered,  and  the 
next  day  the  siege  was  abandoned. 

Y.  In  the  summer  of  1813,  Commodore  Perry  was  sent  to  Lake 
Erie.  The  British  had  command  of  the  lake,  and  Perry  was  sent 
to  take  it  from  them.  The  United  States  had  no  vessels  there. 
But  there  were  plenty  of  trees  growing  on  the  shore,  and  out  of 
these  Perry  built  his  own  vessels.  He  soon  had  a  little  fleet  ready, 
and  stood  out  to  give  battle  to  the  British.  Many  Indians  were 
gathered  on  an  island  in  the  lake,  to  see  the  engagement. 

8.  As  soon  as  the  British  were  ready,  they  sailed  out  of  port  to 
meet  the  Americans.     The  action  was  a  hot  one.     Perry's  flag-ship 
engaged  the  two  largest  vessels  of  the  enemy  and  was  badly  cut 
up.     Leaping  into  a  boat,  Perry  then  made  for   another  of  his 
vessels.     As  he  passed  within  pistol-shot  of  the  enemy,  he  stood 
proudly  erect,  heeding  not  the  balls  that  fell  around  him.     To  the 
wonder  of  all,  he  reached  the  deck  of  the  Niagara  uninjured,  and 
the  battle  was  renewed. 

9.  The  breeze  now  freshened.     Perry  took  advantage  of  it  to 


166  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1813 

plunge  through  the  enemy's  line,  and  give  a  raking  fire  right  and 
left.  This  decided  the  day.  The  British  commander  hauled  down 
his  colors  and  surrendered  his  fleet.  The  number  of  prisoners 
taken  was  greater  than  that  of  Perry's  men  who  survived  the 
battle. 

10.  Perry  was  a  man  of  few  words.  He  announced  his  glorious 
victory  to  General  Harrison  in  the  following  brief  despatch  :  "  "We 
have  met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ours — two  ships,  two  brigs,  one 
schooner,  and  a  sloop."  Men  who  do  much,  can  afford  to  say  little. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  invaded  Canada  from  the  New  York  frontier  in  1813  ?  On  what 
place  did  he  make  a  descent  ?  Give  an  account  of  the  first  movements  of  the  Americans. 
— 2.  What  took  place  when  they  were  within  a  short  distance  of  the  British  barracks  ? 
Describe  the  effects  of  this  explosion.  What  was  done  by  the  Americans  who  were 
uninjured  ? — 3.  What  befell  General  Pike  ?  Give  an  account  of  his  dying  moments. 
What  were  next  taken  by  the  Americans  ?  Where  did  the  British  retire  ? — 4.  Give  an  ac 
count  of  the  descent  of  the  British  on  Sackett's  Harbor.  What  incident  is  mentioned  in 
connection  with  this  battle  ?—  5.  After  leaving  Fort  Meigs,  what  place  did  Proctor  attack  ? 
Who  commanded  Fort  Stephenson  ?  What  was  Proctor's  summons  to  surrender,  and 
how  did  Croghan  answer  it. — 6.  Give  an  account  of  the  attack  and  defence  of  this  post. 
What  was  the  result?— 7.  In  the  summer  of  1813,  who  was  sent  to  Lake  Erie  ?  For  what 
purpose  ?  Where  did  Perry  get  his  vessels  ?  Where  were  a  number  of  Indians  assem 
bled  ? — 8.  Give  an  account  of  the  action.  When  Perry's  flag-ship  was  disabled,  what 
bold  manoeuvre  did  he  perform  ? — 9.  What  movement  of  Perry's  decided  the  day  ?  What 
did  the  British  commander  do  ?  What  is  said  of  the  number  of  prisoners  taken  ? — 10. 
How  did  Perry  announce  his  victory  to  General  Harrison  ? 


ESSOt  Ti. 


LESS01 

HARBISON'S   INVASION    OF   CANADA.— CEEEK   WAR. 

1.  The  British  were  dismayed  at  Perry's  victory.  General 
Harrison  at  once  followed  it  up  with  an  invasion  of  Canada. 
Proctor  and  Tecumseh  had  hastily  retreated.  Harrison  overtook 


1813]  BATTLE  OF  THE   THAMES.  167 

them  at  the  Thames  [terns]  River.  He  found  the  British  drawn  up 
on  a  strip  of  land  between  the  river  and  a  swamp,  held  by  Tecum- 
seh  and  his  warriors.  In  extending  his  line  across  this  strip,  Proctor 
had  weakened  it  too  much.  Observing  this,  Harrison  directed 
Colonel  Johnson  to  charge  the  enemy's  front  with  his  Kentucky 
horsemen. 

2.  The  order  was  gallantly  obeyed.     The  Kentuckians  forced 
their  way  completely  through  the  British  ranks,  and  formed  in  the 
rear.     The  enemy,  thus  finding  themselves  between  two  fires,  threw 
down  their  arms.     Proctor  escaped  only  by  the  swiftness  of  his 
horse.     The  Indians  were  now  to  be  dislodged  from  the  swamp. 
Again  the  fearless   Kentuckians  advanced  to  the  charge.     They 
were  warmly  received,  and  many,  a  saddle  was  emptied.    But,  while 
the  battle  was  at  its  height,  Tecumseh  received  a  bullet  in  his  breast. 

3.  The  chief  had  expected  it.     "  My  body,"  said  he,  before  the 
action  commenced,  "  will  remain  on  the  field  of  battle."     Stepping 
forward,  he  gave  his  last  command,  and  fell  dead  at  the  foot  of  a 
tree.    His  men  were  seized  with  horror.     The  chief  who  had  so 
often  led  them  to  victory  was  no  more.     They  threw  away  their 
arms  and  fled.     The  battle  of  the  Thames  was  won.    Michigan  was 
recovered.     The  western  frontier  was  safe. 

4.  The  Creeks  had  not  forgotten  Tecumseh's  eloquent  harangues. 
In  the  summer  of  1813,  a  league  was  formed  against  the  United 
States  by  a  number  of  southern  tribes.     The  settlers  in  what  is  now 
Alabama  became  alarmed  and  took  refuge  in  the  nearest  forts.    The 
crafty  Wetherford  was  at  the  head  of  the  Creeks.     He  commenced 
the  war  with  a  cruel  blow  at  the  whites.     Lurking  around  Fort 
Minims  till  he  found  the  gates  unguarded,  he  and  his  Creeks  rushed 
in,  set  fire  to  the  buildings,  and  massacred  all,  men,  women,  and 
children,  without  mercy. 


1G8 


MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


[1813 


5.  A  large  force  was  at  once  called  into  the  field  to  avenge  this 
massacre.    The  Tennesseeans  reached  the  ground  first.     They  were 
commanded  by  Andrew  Jackson,  a  man  of  iron  will,  whom  the  In 
dians  called  "  the  Sharp  Knife  ".    Jackson  and  his  men  lost  no  time 
in  attacking  the  Creek  villages.     The  Indians  fought  desperately, 
trusting  to  the  magic  spells  of  their  "  medicine-men  ".     But  they 
found  that  magic  availed  little  against  lead  and  steel.     They  were 
defeated  in  every  battle  with  great  loss. 

6.  Before  long,  Jackson's  men  began  to  suffer  from  want  of  food. 
Their  supplies  failed  to  arrive.     They  could  find  nothing  to  eat  in 
the  wilderness  but  acorns.     For  a  time  they  bore  their  hardships 
patiently,  but  at  last  they  declared  they  would  remain  no  longer. 
They  had  already  commenced  their  march  for  home,  when  Jackson 
appeared  before  them  on  horseback.    His  left  arm,  which  had  been 


Jackson  quelling  a  Mutiny  among  his  Troops. 


1813]  THE   CREEK  WAR.  169 

shattered  by  a  bullet,  was  in  a  sling.  His  right  hand  grasped  a 
musket,  and  he  warned  them  that  he  would  shoot  down  the  first 
man  that  advanced  another  step.  The  men  knew  he  would  keep 
his  word,  and,  ashamed  of  their  mutiny,  one  after  another,  they 
returned  to  duty. 

7.  About  this  time,  another  invading  army  reached  what  the 
Creeks  called  their  beloved  ground.     This  they  regarded  as  sacred, 
and  their  prophet  had  made  them  believe  that  here  no  foe  could 
harm  them.     They  fought  long  and  well,  but  were  again  defeated 
with  heavy  loss.     In  the  spring  of  1814,  Jackson  put  an  end  to  the 
war  by  a  decisive  victory.     A  great  number  of  Creeks,  with  their 
women  and  children,  had  gathered  in  the  bend  of  a  river,  and  thrown 
up  a  breastwork  of  logs  for  their  defence  in  front.     They  were  here 
totally  defeated.     Their  prophet  was  killed  and  the  power  of  their 
nation  destroyed. 

8.  Immediately  after  this  battle,  Jackson  was  sitting  alone  in 
his  tent  at  sunset,  when  a  noble-looking  Indian  entered.     "  I  am 
"Wetherford,"  said  he.    "  My  people  are  all  gone.    My  warriors  can 
no  longer  hear  my  voice.    I  have  come  to  ask  peace  for  myself  and 
the  few  that  remain.     You  are  a  brave  man.     I  rely  upon  your 
generosity."     "VVetherford's  request  was  granted.     He  was  allowed 
to  go  back  to  the  forest  to  collect  his  scattered  countrymen,  and 
through  his  influence  a  treaty  was  made  by  the  surviving  Creeks 
with  the  United  States. 

9.  In  one  of  the  battles  with  the  Creeks,  an  Indian  mother  was 
among  the  slain.     An  infant  boy  was  found  upon  her  breast.     He 
was  brought  to  the  camp,  and  Jackson  tried  to  find  a  nurse  for  him 
among  the  Indian  women  who  had  been  taken.     But  they  turned 
away,  saying,  "  His  mother  is  dead ;  let  the  child  die  too."     !N"ot 
so  thought  the  tender-hearted  general.     Amid  all  the  labors  of  the 


170  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1813 

camp,  he  found  time  to  feed  him  with  his  own  hands.  The  orphan 
grew  to  be  a  beautiful  and  promising  youth,  and  Jackson,  who  was 
childless,  adopted  him.  But,  before  he  reached  manhood,  he  fell  a 
victim  to  consumption. 

10.  From  boyhood  Andrew  Jackson  had  displayed  a  noble 
spirit.  When  only  thirteen  years  old,  he  shouldered  a  musket  in 
the  Eevolutionary  War.  In  a  skirmish  with  the  British,  he  was 
taken  prisoner.  To  break  the  spirit  of  the  young  rebel,  the  British 
leader  ordered  him  to  clean  his  boots.  Andrew  refused,  when  the 
cowardly  officer  drew  his  sword,  and  aimed  a  blow  at  his  head. 
Andrew  saved  his  life  by  catching  the  blow  on  his  left  arm  ;  but 
he  received  a  wound  which  left  a  scar  that  he  carried  to  the  grave. 
You  will  learn  how  he  afterwards  paid  back  the  British  for  this 
blow. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  How  did  Harrison  follow  up  Perry's  victory  ?  What  had  Proctor  and 
Tecumsch  done  ?  Where  did  Harrison  overtake  them  ?  How  were  the  British  posted  ? 
What  mistake  had  Proctor  made  ?  How  did  Harrison  avail  himself  of  it  ? — 2.  Give  an 
account  of  the  charge  of  the  Kentuckians.  What  was  its  effect  ?  Whom  did  the  Ken- 
tuckians  next  charge  ?  How  were  they  received  ? — 3.  Give  an  account  of  the  fall  of 
Tecumseh.  What  followed  ?— 4.  What  took  place  among  the  Creeks  in  the  summer  of 
1813?  What  did  the  settlers  in  Alabama  do?  How  did  Wetherford  commence  the 
war? — 5.  What  measures  were  taken  to  avenge  this  massacre  ?  Who  reached  the  ground 
first  ?  By  whom  were  the  Tennesseeans  commanded  ?  What  success  did  they  have  ? — 6. 
From  what  did  Jackson's  men  begin  to  suffer  ?  What  did  this  lead  them  to  do  ?  How- 
did  Jackson  quell  the  mutiny? — 7.  Give  an  account  of  the  defeat  of  the  Creeks  on  their 
beloved  ground.  When  and  how  did  Jackson  put  an  end  to  the  war  ? — 8.  What  took 
place  immediately  after  this  battle  ?  What  passed  between  Wetherford  and  Jackson  ? 
What  was  the  result? — 9.  Eelate  the  incident  connected  with  the  Indian  baby. — 10.  Tell 
the  story  about  Jackson  and  the  British  officer. 


1814]  BATTLES  OF  CHIPPEWA  AND  BRIDGEWATER.  171 

! 

LESSON  LI. 

CLOSE   OF   THE   WAE    OP  1812. 

1.  The   Americans   continued  unsuccessful   in   their   attempts 
upon  Canada,  till  General  Brown  assumed  the  command  in  the 
summer  of  1814.     Then  their  fortune  at  once  changed.     Crossing 
the  Niagara  Kiver,  Brown  won  the  battle  of  Chippewa  ;  and  shortly 
after  again  defeated  the  enemy,  who  had  been  reinforced,  at  Bridge- 
water,  or  Lundy's  Lane,  close  to  the  Falls  of  Niagara.     Late  in  the 
year,  besieged  in  Fort  Erie  by  a  large  force  of  British,  he  surprised 
them  with  a  well-planned  sally,  drove  them  from  their  works  with 
great  loss,  and  compelled  them  to  raise  the  siege. 

2.  The  battle  of  Bridgewater  was  one  of  the  hottest  actions  in 
the  war.     General  Scott,  now  the  head  of  our  army,  gained  great 
glory  in  this  engagement.     Colonel  Miller  also  distinguished  him 
self.     He  was  asked  if  he  could  take  a  British  battery  which  swept 
the  field  and  threatened  the  Americans  with  destruction.     "  I  will 
try,  sir,"  w^as  his  reply.       He  tried  with  such  good  effect  that  his 
men  were  soon  firing  on  the  British  with  their  own  guns.     Three 
times  the  British  endeavored  to  retake  this  battery,  and  three  times 
they  were  driven  back.     Not  till  midnight  did  they  give  it  up  and 
leave  the  Americans  in  possession  of  the  field. 

3.  In  September,  a  powerful  British  army  and  fleet  made  their 
appearance   on   Lake   Champlain,  with   the  view   of  penetrating 
through  New  York  to  the  Hudson  River.     Plattsburg  was  the  first 
point  threatened.     General  Macomb  [ma-koom'~\  quickly  called  out 
the  militia,  enrolling  even  boys  that  were  old  enough  to  handle  a 
musket.    Commodore  McDonough  [mac-don' -o],  by  great  exertions, 
got   together    a  few  vessels,  and   met  the  English  commodore, 


172  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1814 

Downie,  who  had  boasted  that  with  his  flag-ship  alone  he  could 
beat  the  whole  American  squadron.  But,  like  most  boasters, 
Downie  was  disappointed.  McDonough  gained  a  glorious  victory 
over  him  at  Plattsburg,  and  captured  his  whole  fleet.  The  land 
forces,  which  had  been  repulsed  by  the  militia  while  the  naval 
battle  was  going  on,  retreated  in  hot  haste  that  same  night,  leaving 
great  quantities  of  stores  behind. 

4.  In  the  summer  of  1814,  a  British  fleet  appeared  on  the  Atlan 
tic  coast,  containing  General  Ross  and  four  thousand  veteran  troops. 
Landing  not  far  from  the  city  of  Washington,  they  set  out  for  the 
capital.     A  body  of  militia  was  hastily  raised,  and  an  attempt 
made  to  arrest  the  jnarch  of  the  enemy,  but  it  was  unsuccessful. 
On  the  evening  after  the  battle,  the  British  entered  the  capital,  the 
President  and  many  of  the  inhabitants  having  fled  before  them. 
They  set  fire  to  the  public  buildings,  destroyed  a  large  amount  of 
property,  and  then  returned  to  their  ships. 

5.  Ross  then  thought  he  would  treat  the  city  of  Baltimore  in 
the  same  way,  but  there  he  found  the  people  better  prepared.     The 
fort  in  the  harbor  successfully  resisted  the  British  fleet,  and  an  army 
of  ten  thousand  men  was  drawn  up  to  oppose  Ross's  veterans. 
While  reconnoitring  the  Americans,  Ross  himself  received  a  mortal 
wound.     His  men  tried  to  force  a  passage  through  the  American 
lilies,  but  were  so  warmly  received  that  they  gave  up  the  attempt. 
The  next  day,  they  returned   to  their  boats.     Thus   Baltimore  es 
caped  their  ravages. 

6.  Late  in  the  year,  the  people  of  New  Orleans  were  dismayed 
by  the  news  that  an  overwhelming  force  of  British  troops  was  about 
to  make  a  descent  on  their  city.     Some  thought  it  was  vain  to  re 
sist,  and  were  for  surrendering  without  a  struggle.     Fortunately,  at 
this  time,  General  Jackson  appeared  among  them.     He  at  once 


1814] 


BRITISH  ATTACK  ON  NEW  ORLEANS. 


173 


assumed  the  command,  erected  fortifications,  and  drilled  the  militia. 
He  was  supported  by  a  number  of  gallant  Tennesseeans,  unerring 
marksmen,  who  were  ever  ready  to  take  the  field  at  his  call.  The 
British  landed  about  the  middle  of  December,  and  advanced  to 
within  nine  miles  of  New  Orleans. 

T.  After  a  bold  night  attack,  in  which  his  men  behaved  well, 
Jackson  intrenched  himself  below  the  citv,  on  a  ditch  which  ex- 


Tho  Battle  of  New  Orleans. 

tended  from  the  Mississippi  River  to  a  cypress  swamp.    The  enemy 


174  MADISON'S  ADMINISTRATION".  [1815 

came  tip  and  planted  their  batteries  nearer  and  nearer.  But  the 
Americans,  though  they  had  only  ten  cannon,  returned  their  fire 
with  spirit,  and  inflicted  far  more  injury  than  they  received.  On 
the  8th  of  January,  1815,  the  British,  led  by  General  Pakenham, 
advanced  to  storm  Jackson's  works.  They  found  the  hero  ready  to 
receive  them. 

8.  A  terrible  fire  was  poured  in  on  the  advancing  ranks  of  the 
British,  both  from  the  American  cannon  and  from  the  rifles  of  men 
who  seldom  missed  their  aim.     The  enemy  wavered.     Fresh  troops 
came  up.     "  See  that  every  shot  tells,"  thundered  Jackson.     Again 
the  foe  fell  before  those  fatal  discharges,  and  they  retired  in  disor 
der.     A  few  crossed  the  ditch,  but  were  shot  down  on  the  parapet. 
Pakenham  himself  fell.     The  attempt  was  hopeless,  and  the  Brit 
ish  officer  who  succeeded  to  the  command  drew  off  his  men,  leaving 

o 

two  thousand  on  the  field.  Abandoning  the  attack,  the  British 
made  for  their  ships  as  quickly  as  possible.  The  whole  loss  of  the 
Americans  was  only  twenty-seven  men. 

9.  Before  the  battle,  Jackson  had  taken  very  decided  measures 
with  the  people.     He  made  some  of  them  soldiers  in  spite  of  them 
selves.     A  citizen  called  on  him,  to  complain  that  his  property  had 
been  seized  by  an  officer.     "  Have  you  a  musket  ?  "  asked  Jackson. 
"  No,"  answered  the  man.     "  Here,  guard,"  cried  the  general,  "  get 
this  man  a  musket  and  put  him  in  the  ranks."     He  paid  no  atten 
tion  to  the  courts,  and  after  the  battle  was  fined  a  thousand  dollars 
by  one  of  them  for  contempt.     The  amount  was  quickly  raised  by 
the  people;  but  Jackson  refused  to  receive  it,  and  paid  the  fine  him 
self.     Many  years  afterwards,  Congress  refunded  him  the  money. 

10.  The  battle  of  New  Orleans  closed  the  war.     A  treaty  of 
peace  had  been  signed  on  the  24th  of  December,  1814.     If  the 
news  had  been  received  a  little  sooner,  the  British  might  have  es- 


1815]  RETURN   OF  PEACE.  175 

caped  their  disastrous  defeat.  Every  one  was  glad  when  peace  was 
announced.  Bells  were  rung  and  flags  were  hoisted.  Commerce 
had  been  almost  destroyed,  and  all  kinds  of  business  had  suffered 
much  during  the  war. 

O 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Under  whom,  and  when,  did  the  Americans  begin  to  be  successful  in 
Canada?  Give  an  account  of  General  Brown's  movements. — 2.  What  is  said  of  the 
battle  of  Bridgewater  ?  Who  distinguished  themselves  in  this  battle  ?  What  is  related 
of  Colonel  Miller  ?— 3.  What  place  was  attacked  by  the  British  in  September,  1814? 
What  measures  were  taken  for  the  defence  of  Plattsburg  ?  What  boast  had  been  made 
by  Commodore  Downie  ?  What  was  the  result  of  the  battle  ? — 4.  Where  did  a  British 
fleet  appear  in  the  summer  of  1814  ?  Whom  did  this  fleet  contain  ?  Give  an  account 
of  the  descent  on  Washington. — 5.  What  city  did  Ross  next  propose  to  ravage?  How 
was  Baltimore  defended?  What  befell  General  Ross  ?  How  did  the  attack  terminate? — 
6.  What  unpleasant  news  did  the  people  of  New  Orleans  receive  ?  What  were  some  for 
doing  ?  Who  appeared  among  them  at  this  time  ?  What  measures  were  taken  by 
Jackson?  By  whom  was  Jackson  supported? — 7.  Where  did  Jackson  intrench  himself? 
What  is  said  of  the  cannonading?  On  the  8th  of  January,  1815,  what  was  done  by  the 
British  ? — 8.  Describe  the  attempt  of  the  British  to  storm  Jackson's  works.  What 
was  the  issue  of  the  battle  ?  What  was  the  American  loss  ? — 9.  Tell  how  Jackson  made 
one  of  the  citizens  a  soldier  in  spite  of  himself.  Tell  the  story  about  his  being  fined. — 
10.  How  and  when  was  the  war  with  Great  Britain  terminated  ?  How  was  the  news  re 
ceived  ? 


LESSOR  LIT. 

JAMES  MONROE.— JOHN  QUINCY  ADAMS. 

1.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1817,  James  Monroe,  of  Yirginia,  be 
came  President.  During  his  two  terms,  the  people  began  to  see  the 
importance  of  canals  and  railroads.  Many  internal  improvements 
were  commenced.  Among  these  was  the  great  Erie  Canal  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  nearly  four  hundred  miles  long.  It  connects 
Lake  Erie,  at  Buffalo,  with  the  Hudson  River,  at  Albany.  This 
canal  was  building  during  the  whole  of  Monroe's  two  terms.  "When 


176  MONROE'S  ADMINISTRATION.  •  [1817 

completed,  its  good  effects  were '  felt  throughout  the  north   and 
west. 

2.  Soon  after  Monroe  became  President,  a  war  with  the  Semi- 
noles  broke  out.     The  Seminoles  lived  in  Florida,  which  still  be 
longed  to  Spain.     Set  on  by  the  Spaniards  and  a  couple  of  English 
men,  they  commenced  robbing  and  murdering  on  the  frontier  of 
Georgia  and  Alabama.     Jackson,  with  a  body  of  Tennesseeans  was 
sent  against  them,  and  handled  them  so  roughly  that  for  a  while 
they  let  the  American  settlers  alone. 

3.  Not  long  after  this,  Spain  sold  Florida  to  the  United  States. 
The  country  was  now  in  a  thriving  condition.     Many  emigrants 
came  over  from  Europe.     No  less  than  five  new  states  were  ad 
mitted  into  the  Union  while  Monroe  was   President.     American 
commerce,  too,  was  rapidly  increasing.     It  suffered  for  a  time  from 
pirates  who  infested  the  shores  of  Cuba.     But,  thanks  to  the  qnergy 
of  Commodore  Porter,  who  was  sent  against  them,  these  despera 
does  were  dispersed  and  their  haunts  broken  up. 

4.  The  summer  of  1824  was  signalized  by  the  arrival  of  La 
Fayette  on  a  visit  to  the  land  for  which  he  had  bled.     Travelling 
through  the  country,  La  Fayette  found  that  forty  years  had  made 
great  changes  in  every  thing  but  the  hearts  of  the  people.     They 
still  loved  him  as  their  fathers  had  done.     He  was  everywhere  re 
ceived  with  honor  as  the  nation's  guest.     At  Bunker  Hill  he  laid 
the  corner-stone  of  the  great  monument,  and  at  Mount  Yernon  wept 
over  the  dust  of  his  beloved  Washington. 

5.  Monroe's  second  term  expired  on  the  4th  of  March,  1825. 
John  Quincy  Adams,  a  son  of  John  Adams,  the  second  President, 
was  chosen  to  succeed  him.    Mr.  Adams  had  been  minister  to  seve 
ral  foreign  governments.     He  served  but  one  term,  during  which 
the  country  continued  to  flourish. 


1832]  BLACK  HAWK'S  WAR.  179 

grounds  of  the  Indians.  Long  trains  of  waggons  would  be  seen 
winding  along  through  the  prairies,  bearing  the  sturdy  pioneer,  his 
wife,  his  little  ones,  and  his  goods.  Sometimes  the  long  prairie 
grass  would  be  set  on  fire,  and  then  it  was  fortunate  if  the  poor 
emigrants  escaped.  At  other  times  they  found  no  less  fierce  a  foe 
in  the  prowling  savage.  The  Indians  would  sell  their  lands  to  the 
government  and  agree  to  leave  them ;  yet,  when  it  came  to  the 
point,  they  would  often  fight  rather  than  do  so. 

3.  This  was  the  case  with  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  in  north-western 
Illinois.     Under  their  chief,  Black  Hawk,  they  gave  great  trouble 
for  a  time,  and  kept  the  frontier  in  constant  alarm.     In  August, 
1832,  Black  Hawk  was  taken,  and  the  war  ceased,  the  Indians 
agreeing  to  remove  farther  west.    A  body  of  troops  sent  out  under 
General  Scott  to  take  part    in  this  war  suffered  much  from  the 
cholera,  which  was  then  raging  in  the  United  States. 

4.  In  1832,  Congress  increased  the  duties  on  imported  goods. 
This  produced  great  excitement  among  those  who  opposed  the  tariff. 
South  Carolina  said  that  the  duties  should  not  be  collected  within 
her  borders.     Jackson  said  he  should  enforce  the  law,  and  took 
prompt  measures  for  so  doing.     The  difficulty  was  not  settled  till 
Congress  passed  a  bill  introduced  by  Henry  Clay,  providing  for  a 
gradual  reduction  of  the  tariff. 

5.  Jackson  was  opposed  to  the  United  States  Bank.     He  vetoed 
a  bill  passed  by  Congress  to  recharter  it.     He  also  drew  out  the 
public  money  from  this  bank,  thinking  it  would  be  safer  in  the  state 
banks.     There  was  a  great  storm  of  excitement  when  he  did  this, 
but  Jackson  never  swerved  from  what  he  thought  was  right.     He 
was  equally  decided  with  foreign  governments.     France,  Denmark, 
Spain,  and  Portugal,  were  compelled  to  pay  promptly  for  injuries 
done  to  American  commerce.     After  this  the  powers  of  Europe 


180  JACKSON'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1835 

looked  on  the  United  States  with  much  more  respect  than  they  had 
ever  done  before. 

6.  The  Seminoles  had  been  defeated  in  1817,  but  not  put  down. 
When  an  attempt  was  made  to  remove  them  to  lands  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  where  they  had  agreed  to  go,  they  again  commenced  a 
harassing  warfare.     United  States  troops  were  sent  against  them  ; 
but  the  crafty  savages  laid  ambuscades  for  them,  and  often  suc 
ceeded  in  cutting  off  straggling  parties.     Then  they  would  flee  to 
inaccessible  swamps,  from  which  they  would  again  issue,  and  com 
mit  their  ravages. 

7.  General  Scott,  always  called  upon  in  time  of  need,  was  at  last 
sent  out  to  the  Seminole  country.     Though  often  defeated,  the  In 
dians  continued  the  war.     In  1838,  it  was  found  necessary  for  an 
army  to  penetrate  to  their  haunts  in  the  swamps  and  forests.     This 
was  done,  but  with  terrible  suffering  to  the  men.    A  decisive  battle 
was  fought,  in  which  the  Seminoles  suffered  severely.     Upon  this, 
they  signed  a  treaty  with  the  United  States.     Since  then,  though 
less  troublesome  than  formerly,  they  have  from  time  to  time  ravaged 
the  solitary  settlements  in  their  neighborhood. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  "Who  succeeded  Monroe  ?  How  many  terms  did  Jackson  serve  9 
Between  what  years  ? — 2.  What  is  said  of  the  north-west  ?  To  what  dangers  were  emi 
grants  exposed  ?  What  occasioned  difficulties  with  the  Indians  ? — 3.  Where  did  a  case 
of  this  kind  occur?  What  chief  was  the  leading  spirit  there?  What  became  of  Black 
Hawk  ?  What  was  the  consequence  ?  What  befell  a  body  of  troops  sent  out  to  take 
part  in  this  war  ? — 4.  Give  an  account  of  the  tariff  difficulties  that  arose  in  1832.  How 
were  they  settled  ? — 5.  What  did  Jackson  do  in  connection  with  the  United  States  Bank  ? 
What  was  the  consequence  ?  How  did  he  act  towards  foreign  governments  ?  What 
nations  were  compelled  to  make  reparation  ? — 6.  What  difficulties  arose  with  the  Semi 
noles?  Describe  the  warfare  carried  on  by  the  Indians. — 7.  Who  was  sent  against  the 
Seminoles?  In  1838,  what  was  found  necessary?  What  followed?  What  were  the 
Seminoles  obliged  to  do  ?  What  course  have  they  pursued  since  that  time  ? 


1837]  VAN  BUREN'S  ADMINISTRATION.  181 


LESSOR  LIT. 

MAETIN  VAN  BUEEN.— HAEEISON  AND  TYLEK. 

1.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1837,  General  Jackson  left  the  country 
in  the  hands  of  Martin  Yan  Buren,  of  New  York,  whom  the  people 
had  selected  to  succeed  him.    Since  Jackson,  no  President  has  been 
re-elected.     "Van  Buren  and  all  his  successors  have  served  but  one 
term. 

2.  The  chief  events  of  Yan  Buren's  term  were  a  distressing 
panic  and  revulsion  in  the  business  world  in  1837,  and  a  move 
ment  on  the  Canada  frontier  which  threatened  to  produce  trouble 
with  Great  Britain.     A  portion  of  the  Canadians  rose  against  the 
British  government.     The  people  of  the  United  States  wanted  to 
help  them,  and  a  large  body  of  men  took  possession  of  Navy  Island 
in  the  Niagara  River,  which  belonged  to  Great  Britain.     A  party 
of  royalists  retaliated  by  crossing  from  Canada,  and  setting  fire  to 
a  steamboat  which  was  used  for  bringing  supplies  to  Navy  Island. 
War  would  have  followed  had  not  the  President  promptly  pre 
vented  the  people  from  interfering  in  the  affairs  of  Canada. 

3.  General  Harrison,  the  hero  of  Tippecanoe  and  the  Thames, 
was  next  raised  to  the  presidency,  March  4th,  1841.     To  the  great 
sorrow  of  the  country,  General  Harrison  died  just  one  month  after 
his  inauguration,  leaving  the  duties  of  his  office  to  be  performed 
by  the  Yice-president,  John  Tyler,  of  Yirginia.     Tyler,  like  Jack 
son,  was  opposed  to  a  United  States  Bank.    "When  Congress  passed 
a  bill  providing  for  such  an  institution,  he  vetoed  it,  and  this  made 
him  many  enemies. 

4.  During  Tyler's  term,  a  troublesome  question  was  settled. 
This  was  the  fixing  of  a  boundary  line  between  Maine  and  the 


182  TYLER'S  ADMINISTRATION".  [1842 

British  provinces  of  New  Brunswick.  Daniel  Webster,  one  of  our 
greatest  statesmen,  took  the  matter  in  hand  for  the  United  States, 
and  settled  it  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  country. 

5.  In  1842,  a  great  exploring  expedition,  which  had  been  away 
four  years,  returned.     It  had  visited  various  parts  of  the  Pacific 
before  but  little  known,  and  made  some  important  discoveries  in  the 
far  south.     Among  these  was  that  of  a  large  body  of  land  in  the 
Southern  Ocean,  extending  for  a  distance  of  1700  miles.    This  is  now 
known  as  the  Antarctic  Continent. 

6.  The  magnetic  telegraph,  that  great  triumph  of  the  human 
mind,  was  first  brought  into  practical  operation  in  the  spring  of 
1844.     Its  inventor  was  Samuel  F.  B.  Morse,  a  native  of  Massachu 
setts.    To  aid  him  in  testing  it,  Congress  had  set  apart  $30,000.     A 
line  was  established  between  Washington  and  Baltimore,  and  found 
to  work  with  complete  success.     Telegraph  wires  were  soon  thread 
ing  the  country  in  all  directions. 

7.  Among  the  last  acts  of  Congress  during  Tyler's  term  was  the 
admission  of  Texas  into  the  Union.     Texas  had  been  a  province  of 
Mexico.    It  was  settled  chiefly  by  emigrants  from  the  United  States. 
Oppressed  by  Mexico,  the  Texans  had  declared  themselves  indepen 
dent,  and  maintained  their  position  by  several  hard-won  victories. 
Still  Mexico  would  not  acknowledge  their  independence.     Twice 
had  Texas  applied  for  admission  to  the  Union ;  and  in  1844,  the 
people  being  in  favor  of  it,  she  was  admitted  as  a  sister  state. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  succeeded  Jackson?  At  what  date?  Who  was  the  last 
President  that  served  two  terms? — 2.  What  were  the  chief  events  of  Van  Buren's  term? 
Give  an  account  of  the  Canadian  difficulty.  How  was  war  averted  ? — 3.  Who  was  next 
raised  to  the  presidency  ?  What  melancholy  event  soon  after  took  place  ?  By  whom 
were  the  duties  of  the  office  then  performed  ?  How  did  Tyler  make  many  enemies  ? — 4. 
What  troublesome  question  was  settled  during  Tyler's  term  ?  By  what  statesman  was 
this  question  settled? — 5.  Give  an  account  of  the  exploring  expedition  which  returned  in 


1845]  FOLK'S  ADMINISTRATION.  183 

1342. — 6.  When  was'  the  magnetic  telegraph  first  brought  into  practical  operation  ?  Who 
was  its  inventor  ?  How  had  Morse  been  aided  by  Congress  ?  Where  was  the  first  line 
established  ?  How  did  this  line  work  ? — 7.  What  was  one  of  the  last  acts  of  Congress 
during  Tyler's  term  ?  What  is  said  of  the  previous  history  of  Texas  ?  How  often  had 
Texas  applied  for  admission?  When  was  she  admitted ? 


LESSON  LY. 

JAMES  K.   POLK.— MEXICAN  WAK. 

1.  James  Knox  Polk,  of  Tennessee,  became  President  on  the 
4th  of  March,  1845.    The  admission  of  Texas  into  the  Union  greatly 
provoked  Mexico.     A  boundary  line  had  never  been  agreed  upon 
between  that  country  and  Texas.     The  Mexicans  utterly  refused  to 
treat  with  the  United  States  on  the  subject,  and  threatened  war 
unless  the  boundary  which  they  claimed  was  admitted.    The  United 
States  thought  that  this  was  rather  high  ground  to  take,  and  ordered 
General  Zachary  Taylor,  who  had  done  good  service  in  the  Seminole 
War,  to  occupy  the  disputed  territory. .   Taylor  promptly  obeyed, 
erecting  a  fort  and  establishing  about  twenty  miles  from  it  a  depot 
of  provisions. 

2.  The  Mexicans  were  soon  in  arms.     Taylor's  army  was  small, 
and  fearing  that  his  pro  vision -depot  might  be  taken,  he  marched 
with  the  main  body  of  his  troops  to  supply  it  with  the  means  of 
defence.     On  his  way  back  to  the  fort,  he  found  a  Mexican  army 
twice  as  large  as  his  own  drawn  up  to  dispute  his  passage.     An  en 
gagement,  the  first  in  the  war,  at  once  took  place  (May  8,  1846). 
It  was  followed  by  a  still  severer  one  the  next  day.     In  both  of 
these  the  Americans  were  completely  victorious.    They  reached  the 
fort  none  too  soon.     It  had  sustained  a  tremendous  cannonading 
from  the  enemy,  but  the  garrison  had  gallantly  held  out. 


184  FOLK'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1846 

3.  Taylor  soon  commenced  invading  the  enemy's  country.     He 
had  by  this  time  received  fresh  troops  ;  for,  when  the  news  of  his  first 
two  battles  was  received,  more  volunteers  than  were  wanted  offered 
themselves  for  the  war.     One  place  after  another  was  taken,  the 
Mexicans  falling  back  as  Taylor  advanced,  till  they  reached  the 
strong  city  of  Monterey  [mon-tcwa'"].     This  place  was  carried  by 
storm,  though  not  without  great  loss.    Taylor  continued  to  advance, 
and  on  the  22d  of  February,  1847,  found  himself  at  Buena  Yista 
[bwa'-nah  vees'-tak\  in  the  presence  of  the  Mexican  general,  Santa 
Anna,  and  an  army  three  times  the  size  of  his  own.     Santa  Anna 
summoned  him  to  surrender.     "  General  Taylor  never  surrenders," 
was  the  reply. 

4.  Fearful  was  the  struggle  at  Buena  Yista.     It  was  only  by 
steady  courage  and  the  skilful  handling  of  their  artillery,  that  the 
Americans  held  their  ground  against  the  overwhelming  numbers 
of  the  foe.     "  Give  them  a  little  more  grape,  Captain  Bragg,"  said 
Taylor  coolly,  as  he  saw  a  column  of  the  enemy  waver  before  Bragg's 
well-directed  cannon.     The  setting  sun  €eft  the  Americans  in  pos 
session  of  the  field.     In  the  morning  it  was  found  that  Santa  Anna 
and  his  army  had  retreated.     This  was  the  end  of  Taylor's  cam 
paign,  which  had  been  every  way  glorious. 

5.  General  Taylor  was  perfectly  cool  in  battle.    Once,  when  the 
Mexican  cannon-balls  were  coming  rather  too  close  to  be  pleasant,  he 
noticed  the  officers  around  him  bowing  their  heads  as  the  balls  passed. 
"  JSTo  dodging,  gentlemen,"  said  the  veteran  ;  "  a  soldier  should  not 
dodge."     Just  then  a  tremendous  ball  whizzed  by,  so  close  to  Tay 
lor's  head  that  before  he  knew  it  he  was  dodging  himself.     His 
officers  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh.     The  general  had  to  join  them. 
"  "Well,"  said  he,  "  you  may  dodge  the  balls,  if  you  choose,  but  do 


1817]  THE  MEXICAN  WAR.  185 

6.  The  chief  command  in  the  war  was  now  intrusted  to  General 
Scott.     He   planned  an  invasion  from  another  quarter,  and  a  de 
scent  on  Mexico,  the  capital  of  the  enemy's  country.    Yera  Cruz,  on 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  defended  by  one  of  the  strongest  fortresses  in 
America,  was  first  invested,  and  taken  after  a  heavy  bombardment. 

7.  From  this  point  Scott  advanced  into  the  interior  of  the  coun 
try.     He  met  with  no  resistance  till  he  reached  the  Cordilleras 
\_cor-deel-y of -ra8\)  but  there  had  to  force  his  way  through  a  rocky 
pass  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.     The  Mexican  army  was  routed. 
So  hasty  was  their  retreat  that  Santa  Anna  left  his  wooden  leg 
behind.    It  was  found  by  the  Americans  and  sent  home  as  a  trophy. 

8.  General  Scott  continued  his  march  till  he  reached  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  city  of  Mexico.     Here  the  enemy  had  gathered  for  a 
final  stand.     Their  number  greatly  exceeded  that  of  the  Americans, 
and  they  were  protected  by  a  succession  of  strong  works,  which 
commanded  the  approaches  to  the  capital.     These  were  taken  one 
after  another,  by  dint  of  hard  fighting  and  incredible  exertions  on 
the  part  of  the  Americans.  I  No  troops  could  have  behaved  better. 

9.  On  the  14th  of  September,  1847,  General  Scott  and  his  men 
entered  the  city  of  Mexico  in  triumph.     Meanwhile,  the  northern 
part  of  the  country  had  been  invaded  and  conquered  by  an  Ameri 
can  army.     The  United  States  was  everywhere  victorious,  and  the 
Mexican  government  was  now  willing  to  come  to  terms.     A  treaty 
was  made,  by  which  Mexico  gave  up  to  the  United  States  the  dis 
puted  territory  on  the  frontier  of  Texas,  and  the  provinces  of  New 
Mexico  and  Upper  California,  which  had  been  already  conquered. 
The  United  States  was  to  pay  for  these  extensive  tracts  between 
fifteen  and  twenty  millions  of  dollars. 

10.  The   only  other   event   of    importance    during    President 
Folk's  term,  was  the  settlement  of  a  boundary  line  in  the  north- 


186 


POLK'S  ADMINISTRATION. 


[1848 


Entrance  of  the  American  Army  into  the  City  of  Mexico. 

west  with  Great  Britain.  A  large  section  of  country,  known  as 
Oregon,  lying  between  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
was  claimed  by  both  nations.  As  it  was  now  rapidly  becoming 
settled,  it  was  important  to  have  the  boundary  fixed,  and  this  was 
at  length  with  some  difficulty  accomplished. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  Who  became  President,  March  4,  1845?  'What  followed  the  ad 
mission  of  Texas  into  the  Union  ?  What  orders  were  given  to  General  Taylor  ?  What 
did  Taylor  do  ? — 2.  Give  an  account  of  the  first  two  battles  in  the  war,  and  the  move 
ments  that  led  to  them.  What  had  been  going  on  at  the  fort  ? — 3.  What  was  the  next 
step  in  Taylor's  campaign  ?  What  is  said  of  the  number  of  volunteers  ?  Where  did 
Taylor  first  meet  with  resistance  ?  How  was  Monterey  taken  ?  Where  was  the  next 
battle  fought ?  What  passed  between  Santa  Anna  and  Taylor  before  the  battle? — 4. 
What  is  said  of  the  engagement  at  Buena  Yista  ?  What  did  General  Taylor  tell  Captain 


1849]  TAYLOR'S  ADMINISTRATION.  187 

Bragg?  What  was  found  the  next  morning? — 5.  What  anecdote  is  related  of  General 
Taylor  ? — 6.  To  whom  was  the  chief  command  in  the  war  now  intrusted  ?  What  was 
planned  by  General  Scott?  What  place  was  first  taken  ? — 7.  What  did  General  Scott  then 
proceed  to  do  ?  What  was  he  obliged  to  do,  on  reaching  the  Cordilleras  ?  What  was 
the  result  of  this  engagement  ? — 8.  Where  did  the  enemy  gather  for  a  final  stand  ?  How 
were  they  protected?  What  is  said  of  the  behavior  of  the  troops  in  taking  these 
defences? — 9.  What  took  place,  September  14,  1847?  What  had  been  going  on  mean 
while  in  the  northern  part  of  Mexico  ?  What  did  the  Mexican  government  now  do  ? 
State  the  provisions  of  the  treaty. — 10.  Give  an  account  of  the  settlement  of  a  boundary 
line  in  the  north-west  with  Great  Britain. 


LESSOR  LVI. 

TAYLOPw  AND  FILLMOEE. 

1.  General  Taylor's  services  in  the  Mexican  "War  were  rewarded 
with  the  highest  office  in  the  people's  gift.     He  was  made  Presi 
dent  in  1849  ;  and  Millard  Fillmore,  of  NQW  York,  was  at  the  same 
time  elected  Vice-president. 

2.  California,  you  remember,  was  ceded  by  Mexico  to  the  United 
States.     In  1848,  a  great  discovery  was  made  there.     A  laborer, 
examining  some  sand  that  caught  his  eye  with  its  glitter,  found  it 
to  be  mixed  with  gold.     Further  search  showed  that  the  precious 
metal  was  abundant.     The  news  spread.     Thousands  at  once  flocked 
to  the  land  of  gold,  from  all  parts  of  the  world.     California  became 
rapidly  settled,  and  now,  early  in  Taylor's  term,  asked  to  be  ad 
mitted  as  a  state. 

3.  The  people  of  the  south  have  negro  slavery;  not  so,  those  of 
the  north.     California  wanted  to  come  in  as  a  free  state.     Years 
before,  an  agreement  had  been  made  that  slavery  should  be  permit 
ted  in  all  territory  south  of  a  certain  line  and  excluded  from  all  north 
of  it.     Now,  as  part  of  California  was  south  of  this  line,  many  ob- 


188  FILLMORE'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1850 

jected  to  receiving  it  except  with  slavery  as  one  of  its  institutions. 
Angry  feelings  were  roused,  which  were  not  allayed  till  Henry  Clay 
appeared  as  a  peace-maker.  Concessions  were  made  by  both  sides, 
and  a  compromise  bill  was  passed  by  Congress.  California  was 
admitted  without  slavery. 

4.  While  the  discussion  was  going  on,  the  country  was  called  a 
second  time  to  mourn  for  its  chief  magistrate.     The  good  General 
Taylor  died,  and  Fillmore  became  President. 

5.  In  1850,  an  unlawful  expedition  was  secretly  fitted  out  in  the 
United  States,  against  Cuba.     It  was  thought  that  the  people  of 
that  lovely  isle  were  tired  of  Spanish  rule  and  would  gladly  seize 
on  any  chance  of  entering  the  Union.     This  was  found  to  be  a  mis 
take.     Six  hundred  adventurers  from  the  United  States  landed  on 
the  island ;  but,  finding  that  no  welcome  except  a  hot  one  from  the 
Spanish  troops  awaited  them,  they  quickly  re-embarked.     The  next 
year,  a  similar  attempt  was  made.     The  adventurers  this  time  were 
attacked  and  defeated,  and  several  of  them,  including  their  leader, 
executed. 

6.  The  only  remaining  events  of  interest  in  Fillmore's  term 
were,  the  fitting  out  of  two  expeditions  for  the  Arctic  Ocean,  to  aid 
in  ascertaining  the  fate  of  Sir  John  Franklin,  the  English  explorer ; 
and  the  death  of  the  three  leading  statesmen  of  America, — John  C. 
Calhoun,  of  South  Carolina,  Henry  Clay,  of  Kentucky,  and  Daniel 
Webster,  of  Massachusetts. 

7.  Fillmore  was  succeeded,  on  the  4th  of  March,  1853,  by 
Franklin  Pierce,  of  ISTew  Hampshire,  who  had  served  as  a  general 
in  the  Mexican  War. 

QUESTIONS. — 1.  How  were  General  Taylor's  services  rewarded?  Who  was  elected 
Vice-president? — 2.  What  discovery  was  made  in  California  in  1848?  What  was  the 
consequence  of  this  discovery  ?  What  request  was  made  by  the  people  of  California  in 


1853]  PIERCE'S  ADMINISTRATION".  189 

Taylor's  term  ? — 3.  What  difficulty  arose  in  relation  to  the  admission  of  California  ?  How- 
was  it  settled  ? — 4.  What  sad  event  took  place  while  the  discussion  was  going  on  ? — 5. 
What  expedition  set  out  from  the  United  States  in  1850?  With  what  success  did  it 
meet?  What  took  place  the  next  year? — 6.  What  other  events  of  interest  took  place  in 
Fillmore's  term? — 7.  By  whom  was  Fillmore  succeeded  ? 


- 

LESSOF'LVII. 

FRANKLIN  PIEECE.— JAMES  BUCHANAN. 

1.  The  beginning  of  Pierce's  term  was  signalized  by  the  opening 
of  the  World's  Fair.     A  Crystal  Palace,  built  of  iron  and  glass,  was 
erected  for  the  enterprise  in  New  York.     The  different  states,  as 
well  as  foreign  nations,  contributed  their  products,  and  thousands 
visited  the  exhibition  from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

2.  One  of  the  greatest  events  of  Pierce's  term  was  the  opening 
of  commerce  with  Japan.     Japan  is  a  great  empire,  consisting  of 
several  large  islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.     It  is  occupied  by  a 
shrewd  but  peculiar  people,  who  have  always  avoided  having  any 
thing  to  do  with  other  nations.     In  the  hope  of  opening  a  trade 
with  this  rich  empire,  Commodore  Perry  had  been  sent  out  to  it 
with  a  squadron,  bearing  various  presents  and  a  letter  from  the 
President.     By  skilful  management  he  persuaded  the  emperor  to 
make  a  treaty  and  set  apart  two  ports  at  which  the  merchants  of 
the  United  States  might  trade. 

3.  There  was  great  excitement  in  Pierce's  term  about  the  or 
ganizing  of  two  territories,  Kansas  and  Nebraska.     As  they  lay 
north  of  the  old  line  that  had  been  agreed  upon,  some  said  tljat 
slavery  was  excluded  from  them.     But  another  party  claimed  that 
the  agreement  had  already  been  broken  by  the  admission  of  Cali 
fornia  as  a  free  state,  and  that  it  should  be  left  to  the  people  of 


190  BUCHANAN'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [1857 

Kansas  and  Nebraska  to  decide  for  themselves  on  the  subject  of 
slavery.  The  latter  carried  the  day.  But  Kansas  soon  became  the 
scene  of  a  bitter  struggle  between  the  pro-slavery  and  anti-slavery 
settlers,  and  much  blood  was  shed  before  the  quarrel  was  ended. 

4.  On  the  4rth  of  March,  1857,  James  Buchanan,  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  a  distinguished  statesman,  was  inaugurated  as  President. 
In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  a  great  revulsion  took  place  in  the  mer 
cantile  world.     Banks  suspended,  factories  closed,  many  merchants 
failed,  and  a  general  panic  prevailed.     It  was  some  time  before 
business  revived  and  the  country  recovered. 

5.  Difficulties  with  the  Mormons  obliged  Mr.  Buchanan  to  send 
an  army  into  their  territory.     The  Mormons  lived  in  Utah,  far 
away  from  the  settled  portions  of  the  United  States.     Here  they 
defied  the  general  government,  claiming  the  right  of  naming  their 
own  rulers.     When  the  army,  however,  arrived  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  their  chief  city,  the  Mormons  changed  their  tone  and 
agreed  to  recognize  the  laws  and  authority  of  the  United  States. 

6.  Paraguay  \_par-a-gwa!\  a  South  American  state,  having  given 
our  government  various  causes  of  offence  and  refusing  to  make 
reparation,  a  strong  naval  force  was  sent  out  to  that  country  to 
wards  the  close  of  1858.     A  commissioner  accompanied  the  fleet, 
to  settle  the  difficulty,  if  possible,  without  recourse  to  violence ; 
and  he  succeeded  in  so  doing. 

7.  In  the  fall  of  1859,  the  United  States  arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry, 
Virginia,  was  seized  by  John  Brown  and  twenty-one  associates, 
and  an  attempt  made  to  excite  an  insurrection  among  the  slaves. 
But  it  totally  failed.     The  movement  was  put  down  on  the  second 
day,  by  United  States  marines.     Thirteen  of  the  party  were  killed 
in  the  struggle ;  Brown  and  six  of  his  companions  were  hanged ; 
only  two  escaped. 


I860] 


RECEPTION  OF  THE  JAPANESE. 


191 


8.  The  summer  of  1860  was  signalized  by  the  arrival  of  an 
embassy  from  Japan, — consisting  of  seventy-one  persons.  They 
brought  the  treaty  which  had  been  agreed  upon,  for  the  President's 


Eeception  of  the  Japanese  Ambassadors  in  New  York. 

signature.     The  Japanese  were  received  as  guests  of  the  nation  and 
regarded  w|th  universal  interest.     They  were  much  pleased  with 
their  visit,  and  took  back  with  them  many  specimens  of  American^ 
art  and  industry. 

9.  Another  object  of  interest  presented  itself  about  the  same 
time.  This  was  the  mammoth  steam-ship  Great  Eastern,  the 
largest  vessel  in  the  world.  The  Great  Eastern  was  built  in  Eng* 
land,  and  made  its  first  trip  to  New  York.  It  was  over  one-eighth 


192  BUCHANAN'S  ADMINISTRATION.  [I860 

of  a  mile  long,  and  attracted  thousands  of  visitors,  some  of  whom 
came  many  miles  to  see  this  triumph  of  human  skill. 

10.  When  the  constitution  was  adopted,  there  were  only  thir 
teen  states.  Between  that  time  and  1860,  twenty  more  were 
added.  They  were  admitted  in  the  following  order,  and  at  the  date 
given  with  each : — 


14.  Vermont,.  .        .        .    1791. 

15.  Kentucky,  .  .         .         1792. 

16.  Tennessee,  .        .        .     1796. 

17.  Ohio,          .  .         .        1802. 

18.  Louisiana,  .         .         .     1812. 

19.  Indiana,      .  .         .         1816. 

20.  Mississippi,  .        .        .     1817. 

21.  Illinois,       .  .         .         1818. 

22.  Alabama,  .         .         .     1819. 

23.  Maine,         .  .         .         1820. 


24.  Missouri,  .        .        .     1821. 

25.  Arkansas,  .  .         .         1836. 

26.  Michigan,  .         .         .     1837. 

27.  Texas,         .  .         .         1845. 

28.  Florida,  .         .         .     1845. 

29.  Iowa,          .  .         .         1846. 
80.  AVisconsin,  .         .         .     1848. 

31.  California,  .  .         .         1850. 

32.  Minnesota,  .         .         .     1858. 

33.  Oregon,      .  .         .         1859. 


QUESTIONS. — 1.  By  what  event  was  the  beginning  of  Pierce's  term  signalized  ? — 2. 
What  was  one  of  the  greatest  events  of  Pierce's  term  ?  What  is  said  of  Japan  and  its 
people  ?  What  had  been  done  in  the  hope  of  opening  a  trade  with  Japan?  What  was 
the  result  ? — 3.  What  produced  great  excitement  in  Pierce's  term?  What  positions  were 
taken  by  opposite  parties?  Which  prevailed  ?  Of  what  did  Kansas  become  the  scene? 
—4.  Who  was  inaugurated,  March  4,  1857  ?  What  took  place  in  the  fall  of  that  same 
year  ? — 5.  With  whom  did  difficulties  next  arise  ?  Where  did  the  Mormons  live  ?  What 
had  they  done  ?  What  steps  were  taken  by  the  government,  and  what  was  the  result  ? 
— 6.  To  what  South  American  state  was  a  strong  naval  force  sent  ?  Why  ?  How  did 
this  trouble  terminate? — 7.  Give  an  account  of  the  attempt  of  John  Brown  and  his  men. 
— 8.  What  took  place  in  the  summer  of  1860  ?  How  were  the  Japanese  received  ?  What 
did  they  take  back  with  them  ? — 9.  What  other  object  of  interest  presented  itself  about 
the  same  time  ?  Where  was  the  Great  Eastern  built?  How  long  was  it?-^10.  How 
many  states  were  added  to  the  Union  between  the  time  when  the  constitution  was 
adopted  and  the  year  1860?  Name  these  twenty  states  in  order. 


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